583
PARLIAMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES
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No. 39
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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
QUESTIONS
AND
ANSWERS
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SECOND SESSION OF THE FIFTY-SECOND PARLIAMENT
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THURSDAY 4 MAY 2000
(The Questions and Answers Paper published for the first sitting day in each week will contain, by number and title, all unanswered questions, together with questions to which answers have been received on the previous sitting and any new questions. On subsequent days, new questions are printed, as are questions to which answers were received the previous day. Consequently the full text of any question will be printed only twice: when notice is given; and, when answered.)
Notice given on date shown
| Publication of Questions | Answer to be lodged by |
| Q&A No. 30 (Including Question Nos 299 to 307) | 9 May 2000 |
| Q&A No. 31 (Including Question Nos 308 to 318) | 10 May 2000 |
| Q&A No. 32 (Including Question Nos 319 to 335) | 11 May 2000 |
| Q&A No. 33 (Including Question Nos 336 to 340) | 16 May 2000 |
| Q&A No. 34 (Including Question Nos 341 to 344) | 17 May 2000 |
| Q&A No. 35 (Including Question Nos 345 to 359) | 18 May 2000 |
| Q&A No. 36 (Including Question Nos 360 to 363) | 19 May 2000 |
| Q&A No. 37 (Including Question Nos 364 to 376) | 6 June 2000 |
| Q&A No. 38 (Including Question Nos 377 to 390) | 7 June 2000 |
| Q&A No. 39 (Including Question Nos 391 to 395) | 8 June 2000 |
4 APRIL 2000
(Paper No. 30)
*307 EMERGENCY SERVICES—FIRE AT TAMBAR MOUNTAIN—Mr Gay asked the Minister for Juvenile Justice, Minister Assisting the Premier on Youth, and Minister Assisting the Minister for the Environment representing the Minister for the Environment, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Corrective Services, and Minister Assisting the Premier on the Arts—
In relation to the Inquiry into a Fire at Tambar Mountain “Killawara” Property held in Gunnedah from February to May 1999, will the Minister provide to the House copies of Rural Fire Service warrants paid during the Tambar Mountain fire to the following individuals:
(a) Mr Paul Gruber for bulldozer hire,
(b) Mr Kelvin Foster for bulldozer hire,
(c) Mr Bob Foster for bulldozer hire,
(d) Mr Stewart Green for aircraft hire used for fire spotting,
(e) Coonabarabran Aero Club for aircraft hire used for fire spotting,
(f) Gunnedah Aero Club for aircraft hire used for fire spotting,
(g) Gunnedah Shire Council for grader and dozer hire,
(h) Gunnedah Shire Council for food and beverages, and
(i) Coonabarabran Shire Council for grader and dozer hire?
Answer—
The honourable member has asked a question concerning “Rural Fire Service Warrants” paid during the Tambar Mountain fires to a number of individuals. Presumably he refers to accounts that would be paid either directly by the NSW Rural Service or claimable through the NSW Fire Fighting Fund, as is the case with a section 44 fire.
This fire was not a section 44 fire and, as such, payments for suppression were the responsibility of the local authority. As a consequence, I am advised by the NSW Rural Fire Service that it made no payments in relation to this fire to the individuals or organisations listed.
13 APRIL 2000
(Paper No. 35)
*352 ENVIRONMENT—COMMERCIAL KANGAROO INDUSTRY—Mr Richard Jones asked the Minister for Juvenile Justice, Minister Assisting the Premier on Youth, and Minister Assisting the Minister for the Environment representing the Minister for the Environment, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Corrective Services, and Minister Assisting the Premier on the Arts—
(1) Has the commercial kangaroo industry and/or the farming community made representations to him seeking the reintroduction of skin-only shooting?
(2) Does skin shooting encourage:
(a) An increase in the number of feral animals because the kangaroo carcass is left in the field,
(b) Illegal shooters entering the industry because skins can be sold without processing at a registered processing plant, and
(c) Animal cruelty because it encourages an unregulated industry?
Answer—
(1) Yes.
(2) (a) Yes.
(c) No.
(3) A strategy of the NSW Kangaroo Management Program is to maximise the use of the kangaroo carcass with skin attached rather than skin-only take. There is no requirement for the whole carcass to be used.
(4) (a) Following a recent review of skin-only shooting it was decided not to reintroduce skin-only shooting.
(b) Not applicable.
4 MAY 2000
(Paper No. 39)
391 EDUCATION—HOME SCHOOLING—Mrs Forsythe to ask the Special Minister of State, Assistant Treasurer, Minister Assisting the Premier on Public Sector Management, and Minister Assisting the Premier for the Central Coast representing the Minister for Education and Training—
In relation to Dr Julia Boxx and the registration of her children for home schooling:
(1) Has the Minister refused to register the children?
(2) Is Dr Boxx continuing to provide home schooling?
(3) (a) Does the Minister intend to take legal action against Dr Boxx?
(b) If so:
(i) Have court proceedings been initiated?
(ii) If not, when will this occur?
(c) If not, why is prosecution not intended?
392 CORRECTIVE SERVICES—PERIODIC DETENTION FACILITY—Mr Moppett to ask the Minister for Juvenile Justice, Minister Assisting the Premier on Youth, and Minister Assisting the Minister for the Environment representing the Minister for the Environment, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Corrective Services, and Minister Assisting the Premier on the Arts—
(1) When was the contract for the construction of the periodic detention facility at Broken Hill completed?
(2) Was the facility ready for occupation at that time and, if not, when was it considered fit to be used?
(3) When was staff recruitment and training completed?
(4) How many detainees have been committed to the institution since that time?
(5) How many detainees are currently being accommodated at Broken Hill?
(6) Are there any plans for the facility to be used for an alternate purpose?
393 TRANSPORT—TRANSPORT CONCESSIONS—Mr Moppett to ask the Minister for Mineral Resources, and Minister for Fisheries representing the Minister for Transport, and Minister for Roads—
(1) Can the Minister confirm that a review of transport concessions is being undertaken by the Public Transport Authority?
(2) Will this review include an assessment of the feasibility of extending the Pensioner Excursion Ticket?
(3) Specifically, will this include:
(a) extending the usage to include travel on similar conditions in other States, and
(b) extending the distance limit to allow country residents to travel to a regional centre for the $2 concession fare?
(4) When will the review be completed?
(5) Is it intended that the findings and recommendations arising from this review will be made public?
394 TRANSPORT—M5 EAST TUNNEL—Dr Wong to ask the Minister for Mineral Resources, and Minister for Fisheries representing the Minister for Transport, and Minister for Roads—
(1) Did the Environment Protection Authority advise the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) to treat data regarding the expected improvement of air quality due to improvements in the vehicle fleet with caution because the improvements were likely to be an overstatement?
(2) If so, why does the RTA and Minister continue to quote improvements in the vehicle fleet as a reason for not installing pollution treatment systems in the M5 East tunnel?
395 TOURISM—HISTORICAL MUSEUMS—Mr Corbett to ask the Special Minister of State, Assistant Treasurer, Minister Assisting the Premier on Public Sector Management, and Minister Assisting the Premier for the Central Coast representing the Minister for Small Business, and Minister for Tourism—
(1) How many historical museums are there in country and regional New South Wales?
(2) (a) Is there a publication which shows the location of these museums?
(b) If not, will the Minister prepare such a guide?
(3) How many historical museums have been destroyed or damaged by fire in the past 5 years?
(4) What measures are in place to ensure that historical museums have the best possible fire management systems to prevent the loss of irreplaceable items of historical interest?
John Evans
Clerk of the Parliaments
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Authorised by the Parliament of New South Wales