BUILDING INDUSTRY ROYAL COMMISSION
The Hon. A. B. MANSON: I ask the Leader of the Government, representing the Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Ethnic Affairs a question without notice. Further to the Minister's comments a few moments ago about the Royal Commission into Productivity in the Building Industry in New South Wales and costs being scandalous, will the Minister advise how many construction sites commissioner Roger Gyles visited on his trip to the United States of America and to Japan? How many construction sites has he visited in New South Wales and elsewhere in Australia since his appointment as royal commissioner?
The Hon. E. P. PICKERING: That is a question that clearly falls into the category of trivia. The interest the honourable member has shown in the royal commission must be taken as an indication that when the report is received the honourable member and his union mates will not enjoy it. I suspect the questions are designed to safeguard some of his union mates. I can see the puppet strings attached to the honourable member's back, and they are being pulled. The royal commission has proved to be valuable. I have no doubt that when the commissioner reports, his overseas experience as part of his fact-finding investigation will form a valuable part of the report and will enhance the quality of the report. I believe that if a cost benefit analysis was carried out it would reveal that the overseas trip to investigate the building industry in other countries would be shown to be of benefit. In private industry I found universally that travelling overseas to see how other countries attack particular problems was always of benefit. One could always learn from the mistakes of others or from the good things they had done, and implement the good points here in Australia. I have no doubt that the royal commissioner will report that the overseas visits have been of benefit in the pursuit of corruption in the building industry in New South Wales.
I suggest that any further questions be placed on notice.
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[The President left the chair at 1 p.m. The House resumed at 2.30 p.m.]