PARLIAMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
1993
THIRD SESSION OF THE FIFTIETH PARLIAMENT
___________________
QUESTIONS
AND
ANSWERS
No. 18
WEDNESDAY 12 MAY 1993
___________________
[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.]
[Pursuant to the Sessional Order adopted by the House on 24 February 1993,
Members shall be permitted to lodge 3 questions on notice per sitting day
accumulative over one sitting week, provided that the Leader of the Opposition
shall be permitted to lodge 4 questions on notice per sitting day. Ministers
shall lodge answers to questions on notice within 15 sitting days after the
question is first published and such answer shall be published forthwith.]
Page 952
| DATE OF PUBLICATION OF QUESTION | ANSWER TO BE LODGED BY |
Q. & A. No. 3
(Including Question Nos 408 to 450) | 12 May 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 4
(Including Question Nos 451 to 497) | 13 May 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 5
(Including Question Nos 498 to 573) | 18 May 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 6
(Including Question Nos 574 to 611) | 19 May 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 7
(Including Question Nos 612 to 678) | 20 May 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 8
(Including Question Nos 679 to 756) | 25 May 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 9
(Including Question Nos 757 to 787) | 26 May 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 10
(Including Question Nos 788 to 820) | 27 May 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 11
(Including Question Nos 821 to 903) | 1 June 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 12
(Including Question Nos 904 to 943) | 2 June 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 13
(Including Question Nos 944 to 976) | 3 June 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 14
(Including Question Nos 977 to 1044) | 8 June 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 15
(Including Question Nos 1045 to 1065) | 9 June 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 16
(Including Question Nos 1066 to 1109) | 10 June 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 17
(Including Question Nos 1110 to 1199) | 15 June 1993 |
Q. & A. No. 18
(Including Question Nos 1200 to 1224) | 16 June 1993 |
Page 953
(Answers required to be lodged by 12 May 1993)
Deputy Premier, Minister for Public Works and Minister for
Roads—426.
Minister for Transport and Minister for Tourism—414, 418, 420, 435, 436,
437, 449.
Minister for Natural Resources—433.
Minister for State Development and Minister for Arts—421.
Minister for Health—429, 438, 439, 440, 441, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446,
447.
Minister for Community Services and Assistant Minister for
Health—431.
Notice of Question given on the date shown
25 FEBRUARY 1993
(Paper No. 2)
*327 PARRAMATTA RIVER DREDGING
___Mr Amery asked the Minister
for Transport and Minister for Tourism
___
What is the total budget for the dredging project on the Parramatta
River?
The total anticipated budget for the dredging project on the Parramatta
River is $9.6 million.
*328 LIVERPOOL HOSPITAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES
___Mr
Anderson asked the Minister for Health
___
(1) Why, in answer to Question 1068 on 27 November 1992, did he indicate
that forward estimates for capital expenditure at Liverpool Hospital have not
yet been determined?
(2) Why, in answer to Question 829 on 28 October 1992, was he able to provide
similar information regarding Nepean Hospital?
(3) Has the Department of Health projected cash flows for capital expenditure
at Liverpool Hospital?
(4) Will he now provide the projected capital expenditure at Liverpool Hospital
for the financial years:
(a) 1993/94?
(b) 1994/95?
(c) 1995/96?
(d) 1996/97?
(1) The answer provided to Question 1068 on 27 November 1992 describes the
normal capital works process, whereby actual allocations of funds are
determined on an annual basis according to progress of the projects and general
funding considerations. Although details of forward estimates were not provided
in answer to Question 1068, I am happy to provide them in response to this
question with the proviso that they are estimates subject to determination of
allocations according to the annual capital works process.
Page 954
(2) There is nothing "sinister" in having provided proposals for
capital expenditure for the upgrading of Nepean Hospital in my response to
Question 829 on 28 October 1992. As stated in my response to Question (1)
above, I am happy to provide similar information for Liverpool.
(3) Yes, the Department of Health has projected cash flows for capital
expenditure at Liverpool Hospital in its Forward Capital Works Program for
1993-96.
(4) The projected capital works expenditure at Liverpool Hospital is as follows:
(a) 1993/94 $41 million.
(b) 1994/95 $49 million.
(c) 1995/96 $41 million.
(d) 1996/97 $22.152 million.
All values are expressed in June 1992 prices and are estimated likely
allocations only. In accordance with normal practice, determination of actual
funds to be allocated will be made on an annual basis, and will have regard to
progress on building works and actual annual total capital works and budget
allocations.
*333 FIRE APPLIANCE TENDER—Mr Anderson asked the Minister for
Justice and Minister for Emergency Services—
(1) Did the NSW Fire Brigade let a tender in 1992 for a number of fire
appliances?
(2) (a) Who was the successful tenderer?
(b) What was the schedule for delivery of the appliances?
(3) Was the successful tenderer then in receivership?
(4) How many appliances have been delivered?
(5) (a) What is the value of the contract?
(b) How much has been paid so far?
(c) For what has this money been paid?
(1) Yes.
(2) (a) Austral Specialised Vehicles. A division of Austral Group Limited which
is a wholly owned subsidiary of JRA Limited.
(b) The tender documentation foreshadowed the delivery of thirty pumpers
between December 1992 and September 1993, subject to completion of contractual
documentation including mutual confirmation of the proposed delivery schedule,
related progress payments and acceptance testing aspects.
(3) No. The receivers and managers were appointed for the parent company on 13
October 1992 at which time some $190,000 had been paid representing the first
of four instalments on two pumpers.
No further instalments were paid until February 1993, at which time the
receiver and manager had signed the contractual documents including a revised
delivery schedule and given undertakings that once the first instalment on each
appliance was paid the unit would be completed and the property was vested in
the Fire Brigades.
(4) The first vehicle was delivered to Sydney on Monday 5 April 1993 after
being driven fully laden from Brisbane as part of the acceptance trial. Since
then the vehicle has been subjected to a very extensive acceptance test, three
detailed progress inspections having already been carried out to ensure that
all specifications, standards and quality were being met during construction as
contracted.
Page 955
Subject only to any rectification issues arising out of the acceptance
testing the remaining twently-nine units are being progressed and will be
delivered on an approximately weekly basis up to the end of October 1993.
(5) (a) The value of the contract is approximately $7.9 million.
(b) Progress payments to 30 April 1993 are $1,689,000.
(c) These progress payments represent the 40 per cent first instalment on ten
units and the 40 per cent second instalment on six of those units consistent
with the predetermined production stages reached. Under any scenario the
receiver and manager must complete these ten units.
*334 MR D. A. GAMBRILL'S COMPLAINT—Mr Aquilina asked the Minister
for Sport, Recreation and Racing—
(1) Has he received correspondence from Mr D. A. Gambrill of Lot 10,
O'Connell Street, Vineyard 2765, concerning an incident involving his son at
the Bulli harness racing meeting on 30 August 1991?
(2) Did Mr Gambrill allege that there had been a cover-up by Mr B. Judd,
General Manager, Harness Racing Authority of New South Wales, concerning this
incident?
(3) Did Mr Gambrill also maintain that the Harness Racing Authority's steward
at the race, Mr R. Bottle, had a casual attitude towards Mr Gambrill senior's
complaint?
(4) Did the inquiry, which took place on 24 September 1991 at Bankstown,
concerning this matter only include the steward, Mr Bottle?
(5) Was the transcript ever produced as evidence of what allegedly occurred in
the preparation of responses to Mr D Gambrill senior by him or his predecessor?
(6) Has a copy of the transcript ever been provided to either Mr Gambrill
senior or his son?
(7) If not, would this be readily available to them on request?
(8) Was it alleged at a meeting held with Mr D. A. Gambrill senior on 21 May
1992 that the transcript had been lost?
(9) Has this vital transcript been lost?
(10) If so, how was the transcript lost?
(11) Has the Harness Racing Authority been able to provide explanations as to
why Mr Gambrill senior's son came to have whip marks on his back?
(12) What circumstances justified the dismissal of the video showing the
whipping of Mr Gambrill senior's son as being an accident?
(13) Was it agreed that the photographs of Mr Gambrill senior's son's back
verified that he had in fact been whipped?
(14) Was the whipping incident confirmed by the Harness Racing Authority in
response to correspondence to his predecessor from Mr D. A. Gambrill senior
dated 22 October 1991?
(15) In view of Mr Gambrill's objections to the inquiry only being conducted by
a single steward, why was there no attempt to conduct a fresh inquiry into this
incident?
(16) Will he consider conducting a fresh inquiry and re-examination of the
video, photographs and medical certificate currently held by the Harness Racing
Authority?
(17) Does the video confirm that the manner in which the whip was being used
was in direct contravention of the rules?
(18) In view of the various anomalies relating to this matter, will he order a
review of this incident by the holding of a fresh inquiry involving stewards
and senior members of the Harness Racing Authority?
Page 956
(1) Yes.
(2) No. However, doubts were raised over the non-receipt of a letter from Mr
Gambrill Senior by the General Manager.
(3) Yes.
(4) Yes.
(5) No.
(6) No.
(7) No.
(8) The inquiry was recorded by a shorthand writer. Advice received indicates
that the shorthand notes were not transcribed and that the shorthand notebook
is unable to be located.
(9) It is not customary for shorthand notes or taped proceedings to be
transcribed following the conclusion of an inquiry of this nature unless
further action is to be taken by the stewards. In this particular case it was
not anticipated that the matter would be resurrected and accordingly, the notes
were not transcribed.
(10) See answer (9).
(11) No.
(12) I am advised that the official video of the race provided by the Authority
and a further video supplied by Mr Gambrill Senior were inconclusive that Mr
Gambrill Junior had been whipped deliberately. During the course of inquiries
Mr Gambrill Junior could produce no evidence to substantiate his claims nor
could the Steward arrive at a standard of proof required to lay a charge.
Mr Gambrill Junior made no mention of the incident when he attended an inquiry
on the day of the race meeting in question on 30 August 1991 when the Stewards
inquired into other matters relating to that particular race.
(13) No. However it was acknowledged that the photographs produced by Mr
Gambrill Senior indicated a mark on his son's back which could have been caused
by, amongst other things, a whip.
(14) Records indicate that Mr Gambrill's first correspondence to my predecessor
was on 4 December 1991. Nevertheless, the Stewards have never denied that Mr
Gambrill Junior could have been hit with a whip. However, they are not required
to explain the mark on Mr Gambrill Junior but rather they are required to
determine whether in fact he was deliberately hit during the race.
(15) Mr Gambrill Senior's complaint was discussed by the full Authority at its
meeting held on 26 March 1992 and subsequently at a separate inquiry opened by
the Chairman of the Authority on 23 April 1992. This inquiry was adjourned to
21 May 1992 to allow further evidence to be considered. The inquiry was
concluded on that date.
(16) In light of the actions already taken, no.
(17) The contravention of whip rules is one for the Stewards in charge of the
race meeting to address and is a separate issue to the allegation that Mr
Gambrill Junior was deliberately struck with the whip. No action was taken by
the Stewards against the driver under these rules.
(18) In light of the actions already taken, no.
Page 957
*338 1992 MID-YEAR SCHOOLS CENSUS—Mr Aquilina asked the Minister
for Consumer Affairs and Assistant Minister for Education representing the
Minister for Education and Youth Affairs and Minister for Employment and
Training—
In relation to the mid-year census of government schools in 1992—
(1) What was the mean enrolment in primary classes?
(2) What was the proportion of primary classes with 31 or more students?
(3) What was the number of composite primary classes?
(4) What was the average class size in those composite classes?
(5) What proportion of all classes were made up by composite classes?
(6) What proportion of composite classes enrolled 30 or fewer students?
(7) What was the mean class size in secondary schools?
(1) The mean enrolment in primary classes has been stable since 1989. In
1992 the mean enrolment was 27.4 students and 38 per cent of all primary
classes had 25 or less students.
(2) Classes with 31 or more students represented 14.9 per cent of all primary
classes in 1992. This represents a decrease from 1991, when 15 per cent of
classes enrolled 31 or more students. While there have been slight variations
from year-to-year the proportion of classes with 31 or more students has not
changed significantly since 1988 when 15.4 per cent of all classes had 31 or
more students.
(3) In 1992 there were 4,700 composite primary classes. This represents 29.5
per cent of all primary classes. There has been no significant change in the
proportion of composite classes since 1989.
(4) The average class size in composite classes has been stable since 1989. In
1992 the average class size in composite classes was 25.5 students compared to
27.4 students for all primary classes. 38 per cent of all composite classes had
an enrolment of 25 or less students and 15 per cent of composite classes had 20
or fewer students.
(5) Composite classes represented 29.5 per cent of all primary classes in 1992.
Since 1989, there has been no significant change in the proportion of primary
classes that are composite classes.
(6) Composite classes with 30 or fewer students represented 92.8 per cent of
primary composite classes. This is unchanged from 1991. Composite classes have
a lower average enrolment than non-composite classes.
(7) The mean class size in secondary schools has declined each year since 1989.
In 1992 the mean class size in secondary schools was 22.9 students. In junior
secondary (Years 7-10) the mean class size was 25; in senior secondary (Years
11-12), 18.8. Secondary class sizes are based on English classes.
*340 OBERON HARD ROCK QUARRY DEVELOPMENT—Mr Clough asked the
Minister for State Development and Minister for Arts representing the Minister
for Planning and Minister for Housing—
(1) Is the President of Oberon Shire the owner of land in Oberon upon which
a hard rock quarry development application is currently before Oberon
Council?
(2) (a) Has he visited the site of the proposed quarry recently?
(b) Who attended this visit with him?
(3) Has he stated publicly that he supported a commission of inquiry into the
project?
Page 958
(4) Did Oberon Shire Council pass a resolution recommending that he be
asked to institute a commission of inquiry?
(5) Who will appoint the commissioner and members?
(6) Will provision be made for people who oppose the development to be
represented on the commission of inquiry?
(7) Will appeals against the commission's findings be possible?
I have been advised by the Minister for Planning and Minister for Housing
that the answers to the honourable member's questions are:
(1) Yes.
(2) (a) No.
(3) The Minister has established a Commission of Inquiry under s. 119 (1) (b)
of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
(4) Yes.
(5) The Minister has appointed Commissioner Mr Kevin Cleland to conduct the
Inquiry.
(6) Any person who wishes to lodge submissions, relevant to the Inquiry, will
be able to do so. Notices will be published in appropriate newspapers setting
out where and by when primary submissions must be lodged. Opportunities will be
available for persons who lodge submissions to be heard by the Inquiry.
(7) There is no appeal against the Commissioner's findings. The Act provides
that the Minister's decision on the application is final.
*341 PROPERTY SERVICES GROUP—Mr Clough asked the Minister for
State Development and Minister for Arts representing the Minister for Planning
and Minister for Housing—
(1) Was he the minister responsible for the Property Services Group when it
was established?
(2) (a) What year was it established?
(b) How long was he the responsible minister?
(3) Did he appoint the Board of Management?
(4) Were Mr Mervyn Shearman and Mr Bill Hayes-Williams senior managers?
(5) What Senior Executive Service grading did each officer have?
(6) What was the value of the total package to:
(a) Mr Shearman?
(7) Did his successor dispense with the services of several Property Services
Group managers?
(8) Who were they?
(9) (a) Did Mr Shearman and Mr Hayes-Williams leave the Property Services Group
during his predecessor's tenure?
(b) What was the total severance payout to:
(i) Mr Shearman?
(ii) Mr Hayes-Williams?
(iii) Others?
(10) What is the annual cost of leasing the Property Service Group
headquarters in Westfield Towers in William Street, Sydney?
Page 959
(11) (a) How long is the lease for?
(b) Are there to be any increases in lease costs during the tenure of the
lease?
(12) How much are these increases in:
(a) Dollar terms?
(b) Percentage terms?
(13) Who negotiated this lease?
(14) Who was the minister at the time?
(15) How much was spent on renovating and refurbishing the office accommodation
of the Property Services Group at Westfield Towers?
(16) Is the minister's office in the same building?
(17) How much has been spent on refurbishing the minister's office?
I have been advised by the Minister for Planning and Minister for Housing
that the answers to the honourable member's questions are:
(1) Yes.
(2) (a) 1989.
(b) 24 January 1989 to 6 June 1991; and from 3 July 1992 to date.
(3) Yes.
(4) Yes.
(5) Mr Hayes-Williams—SES Level 3, with a financial loading.
Mr Shearman—SES Level 3, with a financial loading.
(6) (a) When Mr Shearman was appointed, the range of value for the total
remuneration package for SES Level 3, Financial, was $99,750 to $105,000. Mr
Shearman's commencing package was $105,000; $110,000 at the time of ceasing
duty. This increase was ass a result of movements in rates, not a personal
increase.
(b) When Mr Hayes-Williams was appointed, the range of value for the total
remuneration package for SES Level 3, Financial, was $99,750 to $105,000. Mr
Hayes-Wiliams' commencing package was $102,000; $105,000 at the time of ceasing
duty. This increase was as a result of movements in rates, not a personal
increase.
(7) No. Commencing in February 1992 a total organisational restructure of the
Property Services Group was undertaken. As a result of that restructure, a
number of positions were deleted and numerous officers identified as excess.
(8) In that restructure two senior positions were deleted, those of Mr Shearman
and Mr Hayes-Williams.
(9) (a) Yes.
(b) (i) and (ii) No "severance" payment was made to either Mr
Shearman or Mr Hayes-Williams. However, in accordance with section 42S of the
Public Sector Management Act 1988, each officer prepared a submission to the
Statutory and Other Officers Remuneration Tribunal for independent
determination of any compensation.
The Property Services Group also provided material to the Tribunal. The
decision by the Tribunal was that each officer would receive $110,000
compensation, equivalent to one year's remuneration.
(iii) Numerous other staff, at various hierarchical levels, exercised
their option for voluntary redundancy vide Premier's Memorandum 91-23.
None of these officers were at SES level.
Page 960
(10) The annual rent is $1.12 million, including provision of outgoings
such as electricity, cleaning and operating costs of the building. However,
taking into account both the rent free period and the sub-lease of floorspace
to the Women's Co-ordination Unit (representing approximately an effective
17.45 per cent per annum reduction in rental over the lease), the effective
total annual rental is therefore $0.92 million.
(11) (a) This question has previously been answered when asked by Mr Page.
(b) Any increase in lease costs is determined by a rent review, which is
held every 2 years, and which has reference to movements in both the level of
operating expenses and outgoings, and the market level of rents.
(12) (a) and (b) There has been no rent increase for Level 11. For Levels 16
and 17 the rent was increased on 1 December 1992 by $3,631.58 per annum per
floor, that is 1.04 per cent.
(13) Paul Chaston. Preston Rowe Property Services Pty Ltd provided advice
relating to the valuation of the lease.
(14) The Hon. R. J. Webster.
(15) This question has previously been answered when asked by Mr Page.
(16) At this time, yes.
(17) As a result of portfolio changes a rationalisation of the Minister's
Office occurred in 1992, following which floorspace was reduced by
approximately 127 square metres or approximately 26 per cent, resulting in
minor refurbishment. $37,687 was spent, and is more than compensated by the
$54,550 per annum reduction in rent.
*342 PROPERTY SERVICES GROUP—MANAGING DIRECTOR CHASTON AND
CONSULTANTS—Mr Clough asked the Minister for State Development and
Minister for Arts representing the Minister for Planning and Minister for
Housing—
(1) Did he appoint Mr Paul Chaston as Managing Director of the Property
Services Group?
(2) If so:
(a) What year was he appointed?
(b) For what period was his contract?
(c) What was his Senior Executive Service grade?
(d) What was his salary and total package?
(e) Was a car provided for Mr Chaston's wife as part of his package?
(3) Did Mr Chaston resign in September 1991?
(4) If so:
(a) Was this after he ceased to be minister responsible for the Property
Services Group?
(b) Did his successor insist on Mr Chaston resigning?
(c) Upon what basis was the resignation insisted upon?
(d) Did Mr Chaston received severance payments?
(e) If so, how much?
(5) (a) When Mr Chaston was first appointed, what accommodation arrangements
were made for him at public expense?
(b) How long did these arrangements last?
(c) How much did these accommodation arrangements cost?
(d) From which budget line items were these costs paid?
(6) (a) As the Managing Director of the Property Services Group, did Mr Chaston
employ Mr Mark Gell as an adviser?
(b) How much has Holt P.R. been paid for work for the Property Services
Group?
(c) Did Mr Gell work for Holt P.R. at the time of employment by the Property
Services Group?
(d) Over what period of time was Holt P.R. engaged by the Property Services
Group?
Page 961
(7) (a) Has Mr David Reid also been employed as a consultant by the
Property Services Group?
(b) Did Mr Reid work for Strategic Communications when engaged by the
Property Services Group?
(c) What was the total amount paid to Strategic Communications?
(d) Over what period of time was this money paid?
(e) What was the monthly retainer paid to Mr Reid and/or Strategic
Communications?
(8) (a) Are Messrs Gell, Reid and Kortlang currently employed in any capacity
by any of the departments or authorities within his administration?
(b) If so, what level of remuneration is paid to:
(i) Mr Gell?
(ii) Mr Reid?
(iii) Mr Kortlang?
(c) What are their job specifications?
I have been advised by the Minister for Planning and Minister for Housing
that the answers to the honourable member's questions are:
(1) Mr Chaston was recruited by, and his remuneration package set by, the
Office of Public Management, Premier's Department.
(2) (a) 1989.
(b) Mr Chaston's employment and remuneration were interpreted as per Chief
Executive Service arrangements, although a written SES/CEO contract was never
signed.
(c) Level 7, General Management.
(d) $167,500 to start; $184,000 at the time of resignation. (This increase was
as a result of movements in rates, not a personal increase.)
(e) Yes. A second motor vehicle was a standard option available to Chief
Executive Officers under Chief Executive Service arrangements.
(3) Yes.
(4) (a) Yes.
(b) No.
(c) Not applicable.
(d) No.
(e) Not applicable.
(5) (a) Hotel and rental expenses.
(b) Hotel expenses—from 7-9 November 1989 inclusive.
Rental allowance—from 14 December 1989 to 15 April 1990.
(c) $9,400.
(d) The Property Services Group does not receive a consolidated fund allocation
for the majority of its recurrent services. As such, no specific line item
within the State Budget can be identified.
Notwithstanding the above, the accommodation expenses (rental allowance)
incurred on Paul Chaston were reflected in the 1989/90 Annual Report of the
Property Services Group against the line item Salaries and other staff costs.
Such expenditure is a staff cost as it is classified as a relocation cost.
(6) (a) No.
(b) Details appear in Property Services Group's Annual Report for 1989/90,
but for Mr Clough's benefit the amount paid to Holt Public Relation was
$105,266.41 for Public Relations advice and $264,227.96 for Paddington/ES
Marks.
Page 962
(c) Mr Gell was employed by Holt Public Relations when engaged by Property
Services Group.
(d) The period in which Holt P.R. was engaged was between January to July
1990.
(7) (a) David Reid was not employed as a consultant by Property Services Group.
(b) David Reid was employed by Strategic Communications when engaged by
Property Services Group.
(c) The amount paid for 1989/90 was $102,740.40; $259,360.43 for 1990/91, and
$41,511.80 for 1991/92. These amounts relate to a number of consultancies
undertaken over the reporting period.
(d) The period in which Strategic Communications was engaged was January 1990
to September 1991.
(e) A monthly retainer was paid to Strategic Communications from June to
September 1991 of $7,000.
(8) (a) No.
(b) (i) to (iii) Not applicable.
(c) Not applicable.
*343 DEAN PISANI—Mr Clough asked the Minister for Justice and
Minister for Emergency Services—
(1) Why has no cause of death of Dean Pisani, who died in Bathurst Gaol,
been determined?
(2) Are earlier suggestions that he died of an overdose of methadone or other
drug been investigated?
(3) How is it considered he could have obtained supplies of such drugs?
(4) Have allegations that Mr Pisani and other inmates were assaulted on the
night before his death, been investigated?
(5) Did other inmates report screaming in the gaol on the night preceding his
death?
(6) On the morning of his death, were other inmates warned to keep quiet about
the incident?
(7) (a) Have some inmates been transferred to other gaols in New South Wales?
(8) Why was the family not informed of the death until after the body had been
taken to Sydney for examination?
(9) (a) What were the results of this examination?
(b) Was there any bruising to the body?
(10) Why did it take over a week to disclose his death?
(11) Why, after all this time, has his family received no explanation of his
death?
(12) Was a special unit from Malabar present in the prison the evening prior to
Pisani's death?
(13) Was any liquor consumed by these and other officers during the evening and
what time did the gathering break up?
(1) The circumstances surrounding Mr Dean Pisani's death are being
investigated by the State Coroner who has the duty and function to determine
the manner and cause of death.
(2) See answer to (1).
(3) This question presupposes the cause of death, which is the duty of the
State Coroner to determine. It is therefore inappropriate to comment on this
matter.
Page 963
(4) An investigation into all circumstances surrounding Mr Dean Pisani's
death is being carried out by the State Coroner. There is no evidence available
to the Department of alleged assaults upon Mr Dean Pisani or other inmates at
Bathurst Correctional Centre on the night before his death.
(5) If any such allegations are made, they would be investigated by police on
behalf of the coroner. However no inmates have made statements to the
Department reporting screaming in the correctional centre on the night in
question.
(6) It is contrary to departmental policy to give such warnings, and there is
no evidence of any such warning having been given in relevant departmental
records. This is a matter which would be covered in the investigation by police
on behalf of the Coroner.
(7) (a) Yes.
(b) The transfer of inmates between correctional centres as consequence of
changes in their security classification is an integral part of the
classification process and it occurs regularly. In addition, there are a number
of other reasons for which an inmate may be transferred to another correctional
centre. For example, the need of an inmate to attend court.
(8) The Department disclosed details of Mr Dean Pisani's death to police at
6.55 a.m. on 23 December 1992, 5 minutes after his body was discovered. It is
the responsibility of police to notify next of kin.
(9) The post mortem report is provided to the State Coroner. The Department
does not have access to this information.
(10) See answer to (8).
(11) See answer to (1), (3) and (4).
(12) Yes. Normal routine searches for drugs and contraband were conducted.
(13) No. Not applicable.
*345 HUNTER DENTAL HEALTH SERVICES—Mr Face asked the Minister for
Health—
(1) With regard to dental health services provided by the Hunter Area
Health Service, is consideration being given to redirecting the funding for
dental health services towards priority for services to primary
schoolchildren?
(2) If so:
(a) Will dental officers be required to spend more of their time on
administration and personnel management than is currently the case?
(b) Will persons receiving unemployment benefits or pensions have the same
access to dental health services as schoolchildren?
(c) Will there be an overall reduction in the funding of dental health
services?
(1) No direction has been given to redirect dental funding within the
Hunter Area Health Services to increase services to primary school children.
(2) Not applicable.
*346 GOLDEN STAPH
___HUNTER HOSPITALS
___Mr Face
asked the Minister for Health
___
(1) Are statistics available as to the frequency of occurrence of the
Golden Staph disease within Hunter area hospitals?
(2) Have any recent outbreaks of the infection reached unacceptable levels
within Hunter area hospitals?
Page 964
(1) Yes. All hospitals in the Hunter area have designated infection control
staff and committees which maintain a close surveillance on hospital-acquired
infection.
(2) No.
*350 HUNTER AREA HEALTH SERVICE BUDGET ALLOCATION—Mr Gaudry asked
the Minister for Health—
(1) What percentage of the budget of the Hunter Area Health Service was
allocated for the years:
(a) 1988/89;
(b) 1989/90;
(c) 1990/91;
(d) 1991/92;
(e) 1992/93;
to the following outpatient services:
(i) Physiotherapy?
(ii) Occupational Therapy?
(iii) Speech Pathology?
(iv) Dental Services?
(2) How many professionals were employed in each of the services in each
budget year?
(3) How many clerical positions were employed in each service area in each
budget year?
(1) (i) to (iii) The current accounting systems with the Hunter Area Health
Service are unable to extract this information. The Area Health Service is
currently implementing a new financial software system (Oracle) and it is
anticipated that this type of information will be available through the new
system.
(iv) The Department of Health has allocated a separate budget for dental
services since 1990/91 (Program 2.5), the majority of which is expended on
outpatients. Expenditure on dental services since that time has been:
1990/91 $3,940,336 1.13 per cent
1991/92 $4,156,000 1.16 per cent
1992/93 $4,163,499 1.20 per cent
(2) Physiotherapy Occupational Therapy Speech Dental
1988/89 41.4 26.8 15.6 34.1
1989/90 42.0 26.1 15.4 32.5
1990/91 41.2 26.5 14.6 32.5
1991/92 41.6 26.5 15.7 28.8
1992/93 44.8 23.7 18.7 34.6
(3) In the majority of units, clerical staff are not specifically allocated
to outpatient services and the clerical support is provided from within general
hospital resources. Specific clerical positions allocated to these outpatient
services were:
Page 965
Physiotherapy Occupational Therapy Speech Dental
1988/89 0.5 0.5 0.2 2.0
1989/90 0.5 0.5 0.2 2.0
1990/91 0.5 0.5 0.2 2.0
1991/92 1.5 1.5 0.5 2.0
1992/93 1.5 0.5 0.5 0.2*
*John Hunter Hospital.
Dental Services were reviewed and restructured in 1992. As a result of this
review, in keeping with the principle of structural efficiency and
multi-skilling, the clerical staff were replaced by dental assistants.
*351 HUNTER AREA HEALTH SERVICE PHYSIOTHERAPY POSITIONS—Mr Gaudry
asked the Minister for Health—
(1) How many physiotherapy positions existed in the Hunter Area Health
Service prior to the closure of Wallsend Hospital?
(2) What was the breakup of these positions between:
(a) Inpatient?
(b) Outpatient?
(c) Community client service?
(3) What was the breakup of these positions at Wallsend Hospital prior to its
closure?
(4) Where were physiotherapists from Wallsend Hospital transferred when the
hospital closed?
(5) How many of these transferred positions went to:
(a) Inpatient?
(b) Outpatient?
(c) Community client service?
(6) How many physiotherapists are currently employed by the Hunter Area Health
Service?
(7) What is the breakup of these positions between:
(a) Inpatient?
(b) Outpatient?
(c) Community client service?
(8) What is the current shortage of physiotherapists at each hospital in the
Hunter Area Health Service?
(1) 73.3.
(2) (a) 42.5.
(3) 1.6 FTE Outpatients.
1.4 Medical and Surgical Wards, Coronary Care Unit.
0.8 Buchanan Ward (geriatric ward).
(4) John Hunter Hospital 2
Rankin Park Hospital 0.8
Royal Newcastle 1
Page 966
(5) Physiotherapists are appointed to provide services as required to both
inpatients and outpatients.
(6) Seventy-eight. Funding for two additional positions to increase outpatient
access to physiotherapy at Royal Newcastle and Belmont Hospitals was allocated
in the 1992/93 budget for these hospitals.
(7) With the exception of one physiotherapist at the Nelson Bay Community
Health Centre, all physiotherapists within the Hunter Area Health Service
provide both inpatient and outpatient services.
(8) Three physiotherapy positions are currently vacant.
*355 MAJOR ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATING PROJECTS—Mr Knowles
asked the Minister for State Development and Minister for Arts representing the
Minister for Planning and Minister for Housing—
(1) Is the proposed SEPP for Major Economic and Employment Generating
Projects announced in the Governor's Opening Speech the same SEPP that was
introduced in 1992?
(2) If so, why was the SEPP announced as a new initiative?
(3) If not, what will be the differences between the current SEPP for Major
Economic and Employment Generating Projects and that SEPP proposed?
I have been advised by the Minister for Planning and Minister for Housing
that the answers to the honourable member's questions are:
(1) No policy was introduced in 1992. A draft State Environmental Planning
Policy on Major Employment Generating Industrial Development (SEPP) was placed
on public exhibition from 27 November 1992 until 19 February 1993. The
Governor's Opening Speech signalled the Government's intention to make the SEPP
in 1993. This has now been done. The SEPP was gazetted on 26 March 1993 and
will take effect on 27 April 1993.
(2) Refer to the answer to question (1).
(3) Minor changes were made to the exhibited draft SEPP.
*356 SPEECH PATHOLOGY SERVICES
___Mr Knowles asked the
Minister for Health
___
For each health service region in New South Wales___
(1) How many speech pathologists are employed?
(2) How many are employed in hospitals in each region?
(3) How many are employed at the area health service in each region?
(4) What is the population of each region?
(5) What is the population of children aged between:
(a) 0-5 years old?
(b) 5-10 years old?
(c) 10-15 years old?
(6) What is the average time period between the identification of a need for
assessment and the actual assessment in each region?
(7) What policies are in place to ensure an equitable distribution of speech
pathology services through the regions?
(8) What additional speech pathology resources are made available in highly
transient populations (such as families of army personnel on a 12-month to
2-year rotation)?
Page 967
(1) A total of 75.6 FTE (full-time equivalent) speech pathologists are
employed in the regions.
(2) The responsibility to organise services in a way that most effectively
meets the needs of their population lies with each Regional Office.
Consequently, in each region the delivery of speech pathology services is
organised differently to suit local needs. As these services are provided in
both community health centres and hospitals it is more useful to consider the
total number of speech pathologists employed in the region.
(3) There are no speech pathologists employed to work in the Regional Office in
any region. However, in each region an experienced speech pathologist functions
as a Regional Advisor.
(4) See table below.
(5) See table below.
(6) Waiting time for speech pathology services is dependent on several
variables including the type of service, for example, Paediatric or Geriatric
and Rehabilitation, organisation of service delivery and distance.
Within regions, speech pathology services have developed criteria against which
client's needs are assessed to ensure that "at risk" clients access
services quickly.
(7) The NSW Health Department is currently engaged in a Rural Allied Health
Workforce Project, including speech pathologists, to develop strategies to
ensure the access of people in rural areas, to allied health services.
(8) If a referral is known to be from the defence forces, the child/adult is
offered an earlier appointment. Priority is given to those who were receiving
therapy at the time of posting/transfer.
TABLE 1
Speech Pathologists Employed in Regional Health Services in New South Wales,
1993
| Region | Total
Population1 | Paediatric Population |
 | | 0-4
years5-9 years10-14 years |
| New England Region | 255,760 | 19,71619,45119,786 |
| Orana Far West Region | 140,218 | 12,05611,14910,303 |
| North Coast Region | 380,213 | 28,05528,58227,365 |
| South West Region | 256,144 | 20,24019,54219,066 |
| Central West Region | 173,290 | 13,43613,13012,771 |
| South East Region | 203,725 | 15,90315,29314,852 |
Note 1: Australian Bureau of Statistics, June 1991, adjusted for age and
sex.
Note 2: FTEs = Full Time Equivalents.
Note 3: Adults comprise the majority of inpatients treated by speech
pathologists.
Note 4: Most non-inpatients treated by speech pathologists are children.
*359 SHUTTLE BUS SERVICE___Mr Langton asked the Minister for
Transport and Minister for Tourism___
(1) Is the STA currently holding discussions with the Sydney City Council
regarding the possible implementation of a "shuttle bus" service for
Sydney's CBD, utilising a fleet of new or specially adapted low floor buses and
intended as part of Sydney's Olympic bid?
Page 968
(2) Does this concept involve:
(a) A separate service to existing route buses?
(b) Replacing existing route buses in the CBD?
(c) The provision of bus interchange stations at various locations at
the fringe of the CBD?
(3) What fuel is intended for use by the shuttle buses?
(4) Will they be totally accessible to the disabled?
(5) What is the estimated cost of the project?
(6) When will these discussions be made public?
(1) The Central Sydney Integrated Transport Strategy is being developed by
the Central City Transport Committee. A range of options is currently being
considered to improve bus access and movement into and within Central Sydney.
The shuttle bus options need to be considered in this context.
(2) The preferred option for service development is not yet determined.
(3) State Transit continues to monitor fuel technologies and is considering
alternative fuel sources such as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Dieshol (a
blend of diesel and ethanol) for use on its entire fleet.
(4) Access for the disabled is a key priority for all public transport services
in New South Wales.
(5) Not applicable.
(6) The Integrated Transport Strategy for Central Sydney will be subject to
public comment when drafting is complete.
*361 CENTRAL COAST COMMUTER SERVICES___Mr McBride asked the
Minister for Transport and Minister for Tourism___
(1) What has been the average daily number of rail commuters to the Sydney
metropolitan region from:
(a) Gosford Railway Station in:
(i) 1987?
(ii) 1988?
(iii) 1989?
(iv) 1990?
(v) 1991?
(vi) 1992?
(vii) 1993?
(b) Wyong Railway Station in:
(ii) 1988?
(iii) 1989?
(iv) 1990?
(v) 1991?
(vi) 1992?
(vii) 1993?
Page 969
(c) Tuggerah Railway Station in:
(i) 1987?
(ii) 1988?
(iii) 1989?
(iv) 1990?
(v) 1991?
(vi) 1992?
(vii) 1993?
(2) What has been the average number of seats available to rail commuters
on trains from the Central Coast (i.e., stations from Morriset to Hawkesbury
River) to the Sydney metropolitan region in:
(a) 1987?
(b) 1988?
(c) 1989?
(d) 1990?
(e) 1991?
(f) 1992?
(g) 1993?
(1) (a) Information on the average daily number of rail commuters from the
Central Coast to the Sydney metropolitan region is not readily available for
the years requested. However, CityRail has undertaken passenger counts on
Central Coast trains in 1990 and 1992 and these counts showed 13,730 passengers
in trains crossing the Hawkesbury River towards Sydney on a typical weekday
(over 24 hours) in 1990 and 12,730 in 1992.
(b) and (c) Again, the information sought is not readily available.
However, statistics relating to the sale of weekly tickets in a typical week at
Wyong and Tuggerah stations show:
Wyong Tuggerah
1988 608 503
1989 695 476
1990 645 389
1991 665 365
(2) The total number of seats on all trains from the Central Coast arriving
at Sydney between 6.30 a.m. and 8.30 a.m. Mondays to Fridays has been
calculated as:
(a) 1987 6,900
(b) 1988 7,200
(c) 1989 7,200
(d) 1990 7,200
(e) 1991 8,000
(f) 1992 8,000
(g) 1993 8,000
Page 970
*362 CENTRAL COAST TRAIN DELAYS___Mr McBride asked the
Minister for Transport and Minister for Tourism___
(1) What has been the number of trains which have not run to schedule to
and from Gosford Railway Station in:
(b) 1988?
(c) 1989?
(d) 1990?
(e) 1991?
(f) 1992?
(g) 1993?
(2) What has been the number of trains which have not run to schedule to
and from Wyong Railway Station in:
(a) 1987?
(b) 1988?
(c) 1989?
(d) 1990?
(e) 1991?
(f) 1992?
(g) 1993?
(3) Of those trains which have not run to schedule, what has been the
cumulative time for delay in:
(a) 1987?
(b) 1988?
(c) 1989?
(d) 1990?
(e) 1991?
(f) 1992?
(g) 1993?
(4) During 1992, what percentage of trains were delayed by more than 3
minutes that ran to and from Gosford Railway Station between the following
hours:
(a) 5 a.m. and 8.30 a.m.?
(b) 3.30 p.m. and 7 p.m.?
(5) During 1992, what percentage of trains were delayed by more than 3
minutes that ran to and from Wyong Railway Station between the following
hours:
(a) 5 a.m. and 8.30 a.m.?
(b) 3.30 p.m. and 7 p.m.?
(6) What percentage of carriages used on trains running between the Central
Coast and Sydney were suburban carriages in the following years:
(a) 1987?
(b) 1988?
(c) 1989?
(d) 1990?
(e) 1991?
(f) 1992?
(g) 1993?
Page 971
(7) What percentage of carriages used on trains running between the Central
Coast and Sydney were interurban carriages in the following years:
(b) 1988?
(c) 1989?
(d) 1990?
(e) 1991?
(f) 1992?
(g) 1993?
(1) and (2) Information in the form requested is not readily available.
However, the following information is provided in regard to the performance of
Central Coast intercity services.
The percentage of Northern intercity services arriving Central between 6 a.m.
and 9 a.m. that ran to time is as follows:
1987/88 86.4%.
1988/89 78.7%.
1989/90 81.4%.
1990/91 91.2%.
1991/92 93.0%.
1992/93 93.9% (up to 6 March 1993).
The percentage of Northern intercity services departing Sydney between 4 p.m.
and 6 p.m. that ran to time is as follows:
1987/88 84.7%.
1988/89 77.8%.
1989/90 72.5%.
1990/91 78.2%.
1991/92 89.1%.
1992/93 89.5% (up to 6 March 1993).
(3) Information is not readily available in this format.
(4) and (5) Refer to answer (1). The reliability of Central Coast morning
commuter services is recorded for trains arriving at Central between 6 a.m. and
9 a.m. and evening services departing Central between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
(6) and (7) The operation of suburban double-deck trains on the Central Coast
since 1989 has allowed CityRail to provide approximately 2,700 seats on direct
services via the North Shore to the CBD during peak hour.
The existing suburban double deck trains running from the Central Coast to
Sydney will be replaced by new design intercity air-conditioned Tangara trains,
commencing in 1994.
*363 CENTRAL COAST SPORTING PROJECTS—Mr McBride asked the
Minister for Sport, Recreation and Racing—
(1) Have there been any submissions for regional sporting projects in the
Central Coast region in:
(a) 1990?
(b) 1991?
(c) 1992?
(d) To date in 1993?
(2) If so, what are the locations and nature of such applications?
Page 972
(3) (a) Has there been any study of the Central Coast's need for regional
sporting projects?
(b) If so, what are the details?
(4) If there has not been a survey through the Department for the long-term
needs of regional sporting projects in the Central Coast region, will the
Department consult with Wyong and Gosford Councils to evaluate the long-term
needs and strategy for such facilities?
(1) (a) No.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) (a) Arrangements are in hand for a study to be undertaken.
(b) The Department of Sport, Recreation and Racing's Hunter Regional
Office has released a discussion paper to all related sectors of the community
which aims to achieve a more co-ordinated and consultative approach to the
planning of regional sporting facilities within the region, which includes the
Central Coast, through the formation of a Hunter Regional Facility Development
Committee.
(4) See (3) (b).
(5) With the input of the Department, Gosford and Wyong Shire Councils have
commenced 20-year recreation needs studies which take into consideration the
need for regional sporting facilities on the Central Coast.
*369 HUNTER FRINGE SEWERAGE—Mr Martin asked the Minister for the
Environment—
(1) Has the Hunter Fringe Area Sewerage Scheme been delayed because the
Environmental Protection Authority cannot advise on the design criteria for
Karuah sewerage?
(2) Will he intervene and immediately address the issue?
(1) The clean waters regulations do not allow the Environment Protection
Authority to approve sewage discharges to class P waters. Class P waters would
be affected by the proposal.
(2) Options to enable sewerage schemes such as the one at Karuah to comply with
the requirements of the Clean Waters Act are currently being examined.
*373 METAL WORKERS STRIKE—Mr Nagle asked the Minister for State
Development and Minister for Arts—
(1) How was the figure of $20 million, as being the loss to New South Wales
if the metal workers strike goes ahead this month, obtained?
(2) What is the basis of the calculation?
(3) What is the break-up of the figure?
(1) The figure of $20 million was obtained by estimating the nationwide
loss due to metal workers strike and attributing 34 per cent of that loss to
New South Wales.
Page 973
(2) The calculation was based on the latest annual ABS statistics on
manufacturing value-added (i.e., output) and employment for Australia.
"Metal trades industry" is not a standard ABS category. In the
absence of such a category, value-added per manufacturing worker was used as a
proxy for value-added per metal trades worker. Moreover, a significant number
of metal trades union members work in industries other than the metal trades
industry.
(3) The break-up of the calculation is as follows:
| Manufacturing value-added (annual) | = $69,215.5 million
(Source: ABS) | (A) |
| Manufacturing employment (annual) | = 1,006,100 (Source: ABS) | (B) |
| Manufacturing value-added per worker
(annual). | = $68,796 | (C) = (A) divided
by (B) |
| Manufacturing value-added per worker per
working day (assuming 230 working days in a year*). | =
$299.11 | (D) = (C) divided by 230 |
| Total Manufacturing value-added lost in a day
due to strike by 200,000 workers. | = $59.82 million | (E) = (D) multiplied by 200,000 |
| The loss to New South Wales due to strike
(since New South Wales accounts for around 34 per cent of the national
manufacturing production, the loss to New South Wales is assumed to be around
34 per cent of the national loss). | = $20.33
million | (F) = (E) multiplied by 0.34 |
*This figure of 230 working days was obtained after deducting weekends
(104 days in a year), annual leave (20 working days per annum), and public
holidays (assuming 11 days in a year) from the total number of days in a year
(365 days).
*374 HOSPITALS AND INJURED WORKERS___Mr Nagle
asked the Minister for Health___
(1) Is the closure of any hospitals in New South Wales going to affect
injured workers in obtaining satisfactory medical and hospital
treatment?
(2) If so, will he stop all closures?
(3) If not, will he guarantee that injured workers will not be placed on
public hospital waiting lists?
(1) No.
(2) Not relevant.
(3) Injured workers are covered by the workers' compensation provisions. No
person requiring emergency treatment—for example, a worker suffering a
serious industrial injury—is placed on a waiting list for treatment. In
cases of elective surgery, the waiting time for admission will be based on the
relative clinical priority for treatment. There is no differentiation based on
the insurance status of the patient.
Page 974
*376 STATE PREFERENCE POLICIES AGREEMENT—Mr Price asked the Minister
for State Development and Minister for Arts—
(1) Has the interstate agreement to abandon policies of State preference
been observed in each State?
(2) How is this policy and agreement policed?
(3) Is observance of this policy currently disadvantaging New South
Wales?
(4) What procedures are observed when evaluating tenders for Government
projects and supply items where only marginal price differences exist between
local firms and those from interstate?
(5) What has been the effect of this agreement in terms of forced
retrenchment on New South Wales companies in general and on small employers in
particular?
(1) The interstate agreement to abandon State preference formerly known
as the National Preference Agreement (renamed the Government Procurement
Agreement) is being observed by all States, Territories, the Commonwealth and
New Zealand Governments.
(2) The Government Procurement Agreement contains monitoring principles and
procedures to deal with alleged breaches to the Agreement. Alleged breaches are
investigated by the designated body appointed in each State, Territory or
within the Commonwealth Government. The designated body in New South Wales is
the Department of State Development and it investigates complaints relating to
purchasing decisions made by all NSW Government agencies.
(3) In accordance with the Agreement, the Department of State Development,
as the designated body, would request the designated body in another State to
investigate a purchasing complaint made by a New South Wales supplier against a
Government agency in that State. Based on the lack of complaints from New South
Wales suppliers concerning purchasing decisions made by Government agencies in
other States, there is no evidence that New South Wales is being disadvantaged
by observance (or non-observance) of this policy.
(4) The selection of a successful tender relies on a value for money
criteria after the appropriate application of relevant preferences and ensuring
that other requirements of the Government's purchasing policies, where
applicable, are met.
(5) Neither the Minister nor the Department of State Development has any
evidence that the effect of this Agreement has led to forced retrenchment on
New South Wales companies in general and on small employers in
particular.
*377 HUNTER AREA HEALTH SERVICE ACUTE BEDS___Mr
Price asked the Minister for Health___
(1) What is the total number of acute beds available to the Hunter Area
Health Service?
(2) Of this total, how many acute care beds are available in the following
Hunter institutions:
(a) John Hunter Hospital?
(b) Mater Misericordiae Hospital?
(c) Royal Newcastle Hospital?
(d) Belmont District Hospital?
(e) Maitland District Hospital?
Page 975
(3) What is the total nursing compliment for each of these hospitals in
the following categories:
(a) Permanent?
(b) Permanent part-time?
(c) Casual?
(1) and (2) The Department of Health has moved away from using the
available number of beds as a meaningful measure of the effectiveness of the
health system. The Department now measures number of patients treated as
non-inpatients, day stay patients and patients who stay more than one day.
These are far more useful measures of system capacity than bed numbers. In each
of the categories mentioned, the Hunter Area Health Service is measuring the
number of patients treated. The Department is also concentrating increasingly
on the outcome of treatment.
| (a)
Permanent | (b) Permanent
part-time | (c) Casual | (d) Temporary |
| John Hunter | 609 | 250 | 369 | 82 |
| Mater | 217 | 93 | 147 | 29 |
| Royal Newcastle | 159 | 46 | 110 | 11 |
| Belmont | 103 | 33 | 13 | 8 |
| Maitland | 159 | 71 | 54 | 2 |
(a) Full-time equivalents.
(b) Number of
staff employed.
(c) Number of persons in casual pool available to be called
in at short notice if required.
(d) Full-time equivalents on temporary
contracts.
*378 POLICY ON SEWERAGE
PROVISION___Dr Refshauge asked the Minister for
Health___
(1) Does the Department of Health policy on
sewerage provision for new subdivisions require any subdivision that:
(a)
is serviced by reticulated water; and
(b) involves lots of less than
one hectare; or
(c) is within 400 metres of a water course; or
(d) is
within 2 kilometres of a reticulated sewerage system;
must be
connected to the sewer or referred to the Department for review?
(2) Have
local councils lobbied to change this policy?
(3) Will the Government
maintain this policy?
Page 976
(1)
The current policy on sewerage provision is essentially as outlined except that
subclause (c) reads:
"Proposed subdivisions within 400 metres of
a watercourse or likely to contaminate an aquifer;"
The policy
allows for the review of alternative proposals.
(2) Some councils have
approached the Department with concerns. In most cases discussions with the
councils have clarified the issues of concern.
(3) The policy is currently
being clarified in consultation with Local Government and other interested
Government agencies. The Government is committed to the protection of public
health and, as with all policies, will monitor the outcomes and modify the
policy if necessary.
*379 WAITING LISTS AND COMPUTER
SPENDING___Dr Refshauge asked the Minister for
Health___
(1) Did the Federal Government provide $16.5
million to New South Wales to decrease waiting lists?
(2) Was $1 million of
this used for a new computer system?
(3) Is the Department of Health
already spending $34 million this year on a new computer system?
(4) Has
the Department of Health already spent $21 million on a new computer
system?
(5) Why is the waiting list reduction money being used to buy more
computers?
(1) and (2) Yes. As part of the
Medicare Agreement, $16.5 million was received from the Federal Government
under the Hospital Access Program. Of the funding provided, $15.5 million was
targeted to reduce waiting times in problem specialties and was distributed to
those Area Health Services and Regions in most need. The remaining $1 million
was applied to improve the management of booking lists and to provide a central
fund to assist other Areas/Regions identified as having special needs.
(3)
The Department of Health has a projected expenditure for this year of $34
million on implementing the Public Health System Information Strategy.
(4)
The Department of Health has spent a total of $25.4 million to date on the
implementation of the Public Health System Information Strategy.
(5) None
of the Hospital Access Program funding is being used to buy computers.
*380 CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME___Dr Refshauge asked the
Minister for Health___
(1) How many people are there
suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome in New South Wales?
(2) What is the
estimated loss of earning potential by chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers?
(3) What hospital resources are provided specifically for chronic fatigue
syndrome patients?
(4) What new hospital resources are planned specifically
for chronic fatigue syndrome patients?
(5) What community health resources
are available for chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers?
Page 977
(1) The number of people with chronic fatigue
syndrome in New South Wales is in the order of 2,200 although this is only an
estimate.
(2) The estimated loss of earning potential by chronic fatigue
syndrome sufferers in New South Wales is in the order of $16,700,000 per
annum.
(3) Chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers have access to a wide range
of diagnostic, therapeutic, support and rehabilitation services provided both
by hospitals and in community settings. The management of chronic fatigue
syndrome is usually more appropriate to the community setting rather than the
hospital setting.
(4) Chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers have access to all
new and existing hospital resources and community health resources according to
clinical need.
(5) Chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers have access to a wide
range of community-based care including social work services, community nursing
and Meals on Wheels. In addition, they have access to a range of outpatient
services such as a physiotherapy and hydrotherapy. General practitioners manage
specific medical complications if and when they arise. In addition, specific
services are provided by the M.E. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Society which
receives financial support from the NSW Health Department. The Society provides
various services to sufferers including a counselling service and social work
services.
*381 ARMIDALE HOSPITAL___Dr Refshauge asked the
Minister for Health___
(1) What is the 1992/93 budget for
Armidale Hospital?
(2) What is the "productivity" cuts required
of Armidale Hospital in 1992/93?
(3) How many staff work at the
Hospital?
(4) Does he plan to reduce staff numbers at Armidale Hospital in
1992/93 or 1993/94?
(5) Does he plan to reduce any services provided by
Armidale Hospital in 1992/93 or 1993/94?
(1)
$19,754,000.
(2) The 1992/93 efficiency gain was $422,240.
(3) 367
staff equating to 321 full-time equivalent staff.
(4) Staff numbers will
not be reduced in 1992/93. In 1993/94 the New England District Health Service
will be established. The Armidale Base Hospital will be included in this
District. The District Health Service Board may wish to introduce
administrative reforms resulting from the establishment of the District Health
Service. There will be not forced redundancies. Some staff may wish to apply
for voluntary redundancy across the District Health Service.
(5) No.
*382 ST VINCENT'S HOSPITAL, BATHURST___Dr Refshauge asked the
Minister for Health___
(1) How much was paid to the St
Vincent's Hospital, Bathurst, by the Department of Health for treating
uninsured patients during 1990/91 and 1991/92?
(2) Was any other funds
provided by the Government to the hospital?
(3) If so, how much and for
what?
(4) What is the expected public funding to the hospital for 1992/93
and 1993/94?
(5) On what basis are these figures determined?
Page
978
(1) Funding provided is not specified as
to whether it is for insured or uninsured patients. Allocations
were:
1990/91 1991/92
Gross Operating
Payments $5,673,000 $5,398,000
(2) No.
(3) Not
applicable.
(4) 1992/93 1993/94
Gross Operating
Payments $5,989,000 not yet determined
(5) 1992/93—Estimated
actual results (based on results as at 31 January 1993).
*385 STATE
OWNED COAL MINES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS—Mr Rogan asked the Minister
for Conservation and Land Management and Minister for Energy—
What steps have been taken to implement the recommendation of the
Parliamentary Select Committee upon the Administration of State Owned Coal
Mines?
The Report of the Select Committee
Upon the Administration of State Owned Coal Mines, which was tabled by the
Chairman, Mr Ray Chappell, M.P., on 23 December 1992, made five recommendations
with regard to those mines. Actions which have been taken in relation to these
recommendations are summarised as follows:
Recommendation 1
"The Committee recommends that ENC establish a formal process of
consultation to see that the long-term viability of the mines is
assured."
ENC (Management) Pty Ltd, the company with
responsibility for managing Pacific Power's mines, consults regularly with
union officials and employees about the need to improve
productivity/profitability to assure the long-term viability of the mines.
Senior management reinforces this in regular discussions with district
officials.
Joint Working Parties were established at each mine in 1991 to
introduce structural efficiency reforms under the Coal Industry Award
Restructuring Agreements. These Working Parties have been successful
consultative mechanisms for introducing work practice reforms.
In addition
ENC has commenced discussions with union officials to establish Consultative
Working Committees at each mine with agreed constitutions and objectives to
improve the competitive position of the mines.
Emphasis with regard to
these discussions has been given to mines with 5-year contracts to ensure those
mines are in the most competitive position for the next round of coal supply
tenders in 1996.
The Automotive Metals and Engineering Union (AMEU) and
Electrical Trades Union (ETU), the unions with wider industry coverage, have
responded positively with this consultative approach. The United Mineworkers
Union has publicly stated reservations about Consultative Working Groups.
Working Parties are also operating at mines on a regular basis to address
specific safety and productivity issues to ensure consultation input.
Page 979
Recommendation 2
The Committee drew attention to training
programs now adopted in the private sector for both mine management and
workers.
"The Committee recommends that a high priority be given to
the implementation of this (training) program."
ENC has
rationalised and improved work practices over the last 2 years under the coal
Industry's 1990 Award Restructuring Agreement. The vehicle for further
fundamental workplace reforms will be the coal industry's underground work
models which are nationally agreed work models to implement greater cross
skilling and flexibility including setting of competency standards and training
programs.
ENC has made significant and independent submissions to the work
models via the Coal Industry Tribunal, and has committed a colliery manager on
a full-time secondment to facilitate the introduction of the new work models at
ENC mines.
ENC has held meetings with district officials of the United
Mineworkers Union in January, February and March 1993 to discuss implementation
of these work models. Further meetings are planned.
It is planned that the
Consultative Working Groups being set up at each mine will facilitate the
introduction of workplace reforms consistent with the new work models. The
constitution of the Working Groups have as their prime objective effective
implementation of these reforms.
ENC is adopting a systematic approach to
work model implementation to ensure the reforms are introduced effectively at
each mine with emphasis on workforce involvement and understanding.
The
AMEU, ETU, Staff and Deputies Union have reacted positively to this approach.
The United Mineworkers Union has expressed reservations publicly about this
consultative approach to work reform implementations.
Recommendation
3
"The Committee recommends urgent discussions take place between
Pacific Power, ENC and UMW to further assess the feasibility of the leasing of
Newvale to another operator."
Pacific Power sent a letter to the
United Mineworkers Federation on 24 December 1992, the day following the
release of the Committee's report, proposing a meeting on 5 January 1993 to
discuss a lease. A number of meetings and offers ensued which became the
subject of a second Select Committee Inquiry. The report of this second Inquiry
was tabled in Parliament on 29 April 1993. This Committee recommended that:
". . . the offers to lease Newvale mine by Mr Ron McCullough of
Alliance Investments Pty Ltd be rejected."
The Committee
concluded that it was not possible, on the financial data put before it, for
Newvale to operate under the proposed leasing arrangements without a
significant subsidy by the taxpayers.
Recommendation 4
"The Committee recommends the fullest possible implementation of
redundancy and re-training benefit provided by ENC in order to lessen the
impact of job losses on the miners and their families."
Retrenchment seminars and Job Search Workshops were conducted for Awaba and
Newvale employees up to 22 December 1992. Overall, the training was assessed as
being effective by the consultants who conducted the seminars. Some training
was poorly attended, however. Many employees declined the Company's training
offer as they had taken payment in lieu of notice and had immediately left the
Company's employment.
Additionally, the miner's sit-in and associated
strike at Newvale Colliery served to delay the Company's training programs,
thus making them less effective.
Page 980
Recommendation
5
"It therefore recommends that the Minister urgently seek advice
from the Department of Minerals and Resources as to the most appropriate action
to protect these resources, including undeveloped resources and coal in pillars
in the developed areas, such as putting the mines on a care and maintenance
basis until longer term plans are determined."
This recommendation
is the subject of a detailed strategic review presently being undertaken by ENC
to determine the optimum resource utilisation to ensure the future viability of
these mines.
*391 TRAIN CARRIAGES___Mr Rumble asked the
Minister for Transport and Minister for Tourism___
(1) Why
was the 9.08 a.m. train from Dapto to Sydney on 27 January 1993 running a
4-carriage single-deck non air-conditioned train instead of the normal
double-deck air-conditioned train?
(2) Why was the 2.38 p.m. train from
Sydney to Dapto on 27 January 1993 running a 4-carriage single-deck non
air-conditioned train instead of the usual double-deck air-conditioned
train?
(1) and (2) The extension of the
electrification to Dapto necessitated alterations to services and allocation of
rolling stock in accordance with the patronage offering at particular
times.
Since the introduction of the new timetable on 25 January 1993, the
9.11 a.m. service from Dapto to Sydney has been scheduled to be formed by
single-deck non air-conditioned carriages.
Similarly, the 2.38 p.m. service
from Sydney to Dapto has been scheduled to be formed by single-deck non
air-conditioned carriages since 25 January 1993.
All non air-conditioned
trains providing services from Sydney to Dapto will be replaced with new design interurban air-conditioned Tangara carriages, commencing in
1994.
*392 COLEDALE, BULLI AND PORT KEMBLA HOSPITALS___Mr
Rumble asked the Minister for Health___
Will he give a
categorical assurance that the Coledale Hospital, Bulli Hospital and the
casualty section of the Port Kembla Hospital will not be closed?
I have received no proposals to close the Coledale
Hospital, Bulli Hospital or the Port Kembla Accident and Emergency Department
of the Illawarra Regional Hospital.
*394 SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTAL
LEVY—Mr Scully asked the Minister for State Development and Minister for
Arts representing the Minister for Planning and Minister for
Housing—
When the $100 million was paid by the Water Board as a
special dividend, were any monies held in the Special Environmental Levy
accounts used in any way for that purpose?
Page 981
I have been advised by the Minister for Planning
and Minister for Housing that the answer to the honourable member's question
is:
No. The $100 million payment made by the Board in January 1993
represents the purchase of Crown land assets which are of strategic importance
to the Board in its operations. This payment is in no way related to SEL
revenue.
*395 SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTAL LEVY—ELECTORATE OF
SMITHFIELD—Mr Scully asked the Minister for State Development and
Minister for Arts representing the Minister for Planning and Minister for
Housing—
(1) How much of the Special Environmental Levy has been
expended in the electorate of Smithfield?
(2) (a) How much of the levy has
been expended in South Western Sydney?
(b) On what projects was this
money expended and where are they located?
(c) What are the future projects
designated for New South Wales, Sydney, South Western Sydney and the electorate
of Smithfield?
(3) How much money is deducted for administrative
expenses from levy funds in respect of:
(a) Total funds for the period
commencing from when the levy was first imposed?
(b) Funds expended in
South Western Sydney?
(4) Is interest earned on levy funds paid back
into fund accounts and credited as part of the total amount held under the
levy?
I have been advised by the Minister for
Planning and Minister for Housing that the answers to the honourable member's
questions are:
(1) The aims for Special Environmental Levy (SEL) projects,
which were determined at public forums in 1989, are undertaken on a programmed
basis to achieve optimum benefits. The community did not determine the aims for
SEL projects on an electoral basis as SEL projects transcend electoral
boundaries. For example, the inflow/infiltration project undertaken at Orphan
School Creek ultimately improves the water quality of not only the Smithfield
electorate, but all electorates within the catchment. The SEL adopts an
holistic approach to addressing the pollution problems in all of the Board's
area of operations with projects being complementary to each other.
(2) (a)
$58.9 million has been expended in the Water Board's South Western Region as at
6 February 1993. In addition to projects in the South Western Region, it should
be noted that effluent from the Liverpool area is diverted to Malabar Sewage
Treatment Plant. To date over $24 million of Special Environmental Levy funds
has been spent on process and reliability upgrades at this plant. In essence
upgrades of the Malabar Sewage Treatment Plant benefit the residents of South
Western Region.
Page 982
(b) The following projects
have been and are being undertaken wholly within the Water Board's South
Western Region:
Page 983
(c) The SEL is
only collected and spent within the Sydney Water Board's area of operations.
All SEL funds are committed to projects in line with the aims established by
the community.
(3) (a) No funds are deducted from the Special
Environmental Levy for administrative purposes.
(4) Interest that accrues on the unspent Special
Environmental Levy funds is added to the levy fund.
*397 BANKSTOWN
HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT___Mr Shedden asked the Minister for
Health___
Does the Department of Health have a detailed
plan for the redevelopment of Bankstown Hospital or only a functional brief at
this stage?
A functional brief is currently
under development in consultation with medical and other staff.
*398
LIDCOMBE AND BANKSTOWN HOSPITAL POSITIONS___Mr Shedden asked the
Minister for Health___
With the closure of Lidcombe
Hospital and the redevelopment of Bankstown Hospital, what would be the net
reduction of employment positions?
No
decision has been taken with respect to the closure of Lidcombe Hospital and
the redevelopment of Bankstown Hospital.
*399 LIDCOMBE AND BANKSTOWN
HOSPITAL BUDGETS___Mr Shedden asked the Minister for
Health___
What is the current recurrent budget for:
(a) Lidcombe Hospital?
(b) Bankstown Hospital?
As at 28 February 1993 the gross operating budget
for the 1992/93 year at Bankstown and Lidcombe Hospitals is as follows:
(a) Lidcombe $47.2 million.
(b) Bankstown $35.6 million.
*405 EMPLOYMENT OF EX-MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT—Mr Thompson asked
the Premier and Treasurer—
(1) How many ex-members of Parliament
are employed by NSW Government ministers?
(2) (a) Who are they?
(b)
What are their positions?
Page 984
(3) How many ex-members of
Parliament are employed by NSW Government departments or
instrumentalities?
(4) (a) Who are they?
(b) What are their
positions?
(1) One.
(2) (a) Mr Phil
White, former Member for Earlwood.
(b) Advisor to the Minister for
Health.
(3) Employment of staff by departments and New South Wales
instrumentalities is devolved to the individual organisations and no central
records are maintained. The amount of work which would be involved in
ascertaining from all agencies whether they employ any one who has ever been a
member of Parliament would not be justified by any public interest to be
served. However, I have been made aware that there are four former members of
Parliament employed full-time by Government departments and
instrumentalities.
(4) (a) Mr Ralph Brading, former A.L.P. Member for
Camden.
Mr Allan Andrews, former Liberal Member for
Heathcote.
Mr Ken Gabb, former A.L.P. Member for Earlwood.
Maurie
Keane, former A.L.P. Member for Woronora.
(b) Mr Ralph
Brading—Town Planner/Specialist Grade 8, City West Planning Team
Department of Planning.
Mr Allan Andrews—Policy Analyst, Planning and
Marketing Division, Water Board.
Mr Ken Gabb—Senior Supervising
Solicitor, Crown Solicitors Office.
Maurice Keane—Director of the NSW
Aboriginal Land Council.
*406 RADAR SPEED CAMERAS
IN ST GEORGE-SUTHERLAND DISTRICT—Mr Thompson asked the Minister for
Police—
(1) What is the present number of radar speed cameras in
the St George-Sutherland Police District?
(2) Will this number be increased
during 1993?
(3) If so, how many more radar speed cameras will be
introduced in this district?
(1) One.
(2)
No.
(3) Not applicable.
*407 DISORDERLY HOUSES
DECLARATIONS—Mr Thompson asked the Minister for Police—
(1) How many attempts to have premises declared under the Disorderly Houses
Act 1943 have been brought by police before Kogarah Court in the years:
(a) 1989?
(b) 1990?
(c) 1991?
(d) 1992?
(2) How many have
been successful?
Page 985
(3) How many such actions have been
brought elsewhere in New south Wales in the same years?
(4) How many have
been successful?
(1) Nil. Action to declare
premises as disorderly houses is a civil proceeding and applications are lodged
with the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Sydney Registry.
(2) Not
applicable.
(3) 1989 2.
1991 1.
1992 Nil.
(4) 1989 1 (premises closed after case commenced).
1990 6 (in 3 cases, the premises closed after the case commenced).
1991 Nil.
1992 Not applicable.
2 MARCH 1993
(Paper No. 3)
*408 NORTH WESTERN WATER BOARD REGION—Ms
Allan asked the Minister for State Development and Minister for Arts
representing the Minister for Planning and Minister for Housing—
(1) How many residential properties are contained in the north western
Water Board region?
(2) How many of these properties have received excess
water accounts in the past 12 months?
(3) How many owners of residential
properties in the above region reported difficulty in payment of accounts in
the past 12 months?
(4) In response to a plea of difficulty in making
payment, what arrangements are available to owners of residential properties to
pay off the water account?
(5) What amount of revenue was collected in the
above region in the past 12 months?
(6) How much of this revenue related
directly to water service charge and to water usage?
I have been advised by the Minister for Planning
and Minister for Housing that the answers to the honourable member's questions
are:
(1) The number of residential properties served by the Water Board in
the North Western Region including the Blue Mountains totals 257,702.
(2)
None. The Water Board's pricing policy was changed in July 1989, where water
allowances were replaced by a pay-for-use system.
(3) 2,597 applications
for assistance were granted to property owners in the North Western Region from
January 1992 to December 1992 (approximately 1 per cent of property owners).
This figure may represent property owners that have made more than one
application during the year.
Page 986
(4) Every opportunity is
given to customers to pay their accounts. Arrangements are made over the
telephone, at Water Board Business Offices and by correspondence. Arrangements
for payment are tailored to suit the individual customers according to their
circumstances.
The Water Board has in place a Social Welfare Policy which
operates to assist cases of genuine hardship. The policy includes an accounts
accrual scheme, extended payment plans as well as the "Water Board
Accounts Payment Assistance" scheme which is administered by community
agencies such as the Smith Family and St Vincent de Paul. The Water Board also
grants rebates to eligible pensioners.
(5) The total amount of revenue
collected in the last 12 months (as at week ending 7 March 1993) relative to
the North Western Region was $216.2 million.
(6) Of the $216.2 million of
revenue collected in the last 12 months, water service charge and water usage
made up the following amounts:
Water service charges $39.7
million
Water usage $32.2 million
$71.9 million
*411 FAIR TRADING ACT PROSECUTIONS—Mr Amery asked
the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Assistant Minister for
Education—
(1) How many prosecutions were launched by the
Department of Consumer Affairs, for the year ending 31 December 1992, for
breaches of the Fair Trading Act?
(2) How do these numbers compare with the
years ending:
(a) 31 December 1991?
(b) 31 December 1990?
(c)
31 December 1989?
(d) 31 December 1988?
(e) 31 December 1987?
The Department's statistics are
collated on a financial year basis. The following statistics demonstrate
prosecution activity by the Department under the Fair Trading Act 1987 and the
former Consumer Protection Act 1969 for the financial years in question:
| YEAR | PROSECUTIONS UNDER FAIR TRADING/
CONSUMER PROTECTION
ACTS |
| DefendantsNo.
of offences |
| Prosecutions
commenced: | |
|
| 1217 |
| 1991/92 | 713 |
| Pre 1 July 1991
Prosecution Results: | |
| 1990/91 | 815 |
| 1989/90 | 1943 |
| 1988/89 | 615 |
| 1987/88 | 2379 |
| 1986/87 | 9 47* |
| (*Note: 1 defendant charged with 30 offences) | |
Page 987
In 1991 the Department
prosecuted a company in the Supreme Court. The Court fined the company $25,000
and awarded the Commissioner $30,000 costs.
Prosecution is only one of the
measures used by the Department to achieve compliance with Fair Trading laws
and principles. There are other options available to the Department, including
non-litigious ones such as mediation, requests for voluntary compensation, oral
or written warnings to individual traders, trader education programs,
development of codes of conduct, and public warnings naming unsatisfactory
traders.
Litigation may include prosecution or civil action for injunctive
relief and/or compensatory orders, whilst other formal processes include
disciplinary action against licensees or the issue of penalty notices under the
system soon to be implemented.
In terms of benefit to the community
prosecution is not always the most effective option. The Department seeks to
maximise remedial action through injunctive proceedings which seek to obtain
compensation for affected consumers and restrain further unlawful conduct by
the traders concerned.
The most recent example was action taken in February
1993 against Bona Fide Consultants (orders restraining the trader from certain
conduct in relation to an introduction agency).
The Department has also
formed special task forces to investigate major consumer issues, such as
country of origin labelling and misleading employment advertisements, and a
number of prosecutions and civil proceedings have already resulted.
The
success of non-litigious options is illustrated by the case of Mahmoud
Mahmoudi, who had his motor dealer's licence cancelled and was disqualified for
7 years. Instead of prosecution, the Department negotiated refunds totalling
$30,000 to consumers who had been affected by his interference with motor
vehicle odometers.
The Commissioner for Consumer Affairs has also
intervened on behalf of affected consumers in several major cases before the
Commercial Tribunal where credit providers have sought reinstatement of credit
charges for thousands of contracts which did not comply with the credit
legislation.
Prosecution does however remain a serious and effective option
for certain matters. The stigma of conviction in a court and any subsequent publicity may well be as important
as any direct penalty the court might order. In some cases a court may order
direct compensation to consumers, as highlighted by a recent conviction for
unlicensed motor dealing with odometer interference where the defendant was
ordered to pay compensation totalling more than $3,900 to the current vehicle
owners.
These statistics clearly demonstrate that a simple count of the
number of prosecutions launched for breaches of the NSW Fair Trading Act does
not provide a meaningful performance measure of the Department's compliance
strategy.
*412 PRICES COMMISSION REFERRALS—Mr Amery
asked the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Assistant Minister for
Education—
(1) How many matters has she referred to the NSW
Prices Commission since becoming Minister for Consumer Affairs?
(2) What
matters were referred?
(3) What are the result of these referrals?
Page 988
(1) to (3)
No matters have been referred to the Prices Commission.
Under the Prices
Regulation Act 1948, I have the power to declare a good or service (other than
Government monopoly services). The Prices Commission has the power to fix and
declare the maximum price at which that good or service can be sold.
I
believe that the declaration of a good or service should only be done in
extraordinary circumstances.
The former Labor Government recognised that
the declaration and price fixing of goods and services should be done by
exception. During its last 5 years of government, the only matters acted on,
related to concert and sporting events. The Prices Commission fixed and
declared a maximum ticket price, in order to dissuade the practice of
"scalping".
During the 1980's, the former Labor Government moved
away from price control, revoking the declaration in regard to bread pricing
and withdrawing from retail and wholesale petrol price control, handing that
responsibility over to the Prices Surveillance Authority.
*413
MILK PRICE INCREASES—Mr Amery asked the Minister for Consumer Affairs and
Assistant Minister for Education—
(1) Did the Minister for
Agriculture refer the last round of milk prices to her for comment?
(2) Did
these increases amount up to eight times the rate of inflation to 31 December
1992?
(3) What actions did she take?
(4) (a) Was this matter referred
to the NSW Prices Commission?
(b) If not, why not?
(1) Correspondence regarding price
changes for milk (called a Price Order) is received directly from the NSW Dairy
Corporation and not from the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
In
his letter, dated 15 January 1993, the General Manager of the NSW Dairy
Corporation, Mr G. R. Davey, notified the Minister for Consumer Affairs of the
Dairy Corporation's intention to make a Price Order (Price Order No. 148).
(2) The price increase was above the inflation rate. However it should be noted
that the price of milk is calculated according to industry costs and not by the
normal forces of demand and supply.
(3) and (4) Under the Dairy Industry
Act, the Minister for Consumer Affairs may not refer an order to the Prices
Commission unless the Minister is satisfied that there are sufficient
objections to the order to warrant the holding of an investigation.
After
consideration, the Acting Minister for Consumer Affairs, the Hon. C. P.
Hartcher, was satisfied that there were not sufficient objections to the order
and therefore did not refer the matter to the Prices Commission.
The
current mechanism for setting milk prices has been in place since 1984. While
in Government between 1984 and 1988, the Opposition never referred milk price
changes to the Prices Commission.
Page 989
*419 DEAN
PISANI FUNERAL—Mr Clough asked the Minister for Justice and Minister for
Emergency Services—
(1) In the case of the death of Dean
Pisani at Bathurst Gaol, was the body buried or cremated?
(2) Was the
funeral arranged by the relatives or the Department of Corrective Services?
(3) Did the relatives opt for cremation?
(4) Was any influence used to
encourage the cremation of the body by the Department?
(1) Mr Dean Pisani was cremated.
(2)
The funeral was arranged by the family of the deceased.
(3) Yes, the family
chose to cremate the body.
(4) No. The Department of Corrective Services
was not involved in discussions concerning the funeral arrangements. Mr Dean
Pisani's father discussed the funeral arrangements with the police and
instructed them that his son was to be cremated.
*423
PROPOSALS FOR INCLUSION IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM—Mr Knowles asked the
Minister for State Development and Minister for Arts representing the Minister
for Planning and Minister for Housing—
(1) What land within
the electorate of Moorebank, currently not included in the Urban Development
Program, is being assessed for inclusion?
(2) (a) Do any proposals exist to
incorporate either land zoned "non-urban 1C" or any Commonwealth
holdings between Voyager Point and Sandy Point into the Urban Development
Program?
(b) If so, which properties?
(3) What consultations and
environmental assessments have been conducted in respect of any land referred
to above?
I have been
advised by the Minister for Planning and Minister for Housing that the answers
to the honourable member's questions are:
(1) There is currently one area
being investigated for possible inclusion in the Urban Development Program
within the electorate of Moorebank. This is land adjoining Macquarie Fields
House. At this point in time, the Urban Development Committee has not made a
decision on whether or not to include this land in the program.
(2) There
are no current proposals to incorporate land zoned 1 (c) or any Commonwealth
holdings between Voyager Point and Sandy Point into the Urban Development
Program. However, land to the north of Sandy Point at Pleasure and Voyager
Points is included in the current program.
(3) In respect of land adjoining
Macquarie Fields House, a range of Government agencies involved in servicing
urban development, including the Water Board, Roads and Traffic Authority,
South West Area Health Service and Department of School Education have been
consulted. A local environmental study had been prepared in connection with a
previous proposal for a tourist/education development on the site.
Page 990
*424 REZONINGS—Mr Knowles asked the Minister for
State Development and Minister for Arts representing the Minister for Planning
and Minister for Housing—
(1) (a) Has the Minister been
briefed by consultants or any representatives of the following organisations in
relation to land holdings:
(a) Australian Land and Housing
Group—Non-urban land at Pleasure Point?
(b) Tullichewan Pty
Ltd—Non-urban land at Pleasure Point?
(c) Monarch Homes Pty
Ltd—Land adjoining Macquarie Fields House?
(d) Monarch Investments
Pty Ltd—Land adjoining Macquarie Fields House?
(e) Devine, Erby and
Mazlin—Land adjoining Macquarie Fields House?
(2) If not, has
any officer of the Department of Planning or member of his staff met with or
been briefed by consultants or any representatives in relation to the
properties and companies listed above?
(3) If so, when did the
meetings/briefings take place?
(4) Who attended?
(5) What commitments,
if any, were given by the Government in relation to any requests for
rezoning?
I have been
advised by the Minister for Planning and Minister for Housing that the answers
to the honourable member's questions are:
(1) (a) No. Briefings have not
been given to the Minister by representatives from Australian Housing and Land
in relation to land at Pleasure Point.
It is noted that question
1 (a) refers to Australian Land and Housing Group and the Minister assumes this
should be a reference to the company Australian Housing and Land, which owns
land at Pleasure Point.
(b) No. Briefings have not been given
to the Minister by representatives from Tullichewan Pty Ltd in relation to land
holdings at Pleasure Point.
(c) to (e) Yes. The Minister has been briefed
regarding proposals for development of land adjoining Macquarie Fields House by
representatives of the Monarch Group of Companies and its consultants Devine
Erby Mazlin.
(2) Departmental officers have not met with Australian
Housing and Land to discuss its land at Pleasure Point.
Yes. Departmental
officers have discussed various aspects of the proposed urban development of
land at Pleasure Point with representatives from Tullichewan Pty Ltd.
Yes.
Departmental officers have been briefed on a number of occasions by
representatives of Monarch Group of Companies and Devine Erby Mazlin
consultants concerning a proposed development of land adjoining Macquarie
Fields House.
(3) The meeting between the Department of Planning and
Tullichewan Pty Ltd was in April 1992.
A number of meetings have been held
between the Department of Planning and Monarch Group of Companies and Devine
Erby Mazlin consultants between December 1992 and March 1993.
(4) The
Regional Manager for the Western Region of Sydney of the Department of Planning
and Directors of Tullichewan Pty Ltd attended the meeting regarding land at
Pleasure Point.
At the Minister's briefing by Monarch Group of Companies
and Devine Erby Mazlin consultants the Department of Planning's Regional
Manager for the Illawarra/Macarthur Region also attended.
Page
991
The Department of Planning's Assistant Director and Regional
Manager and Deputy Regional Manager of the Illawarra/Macarthur Region and
planners from both the Illawarra/Marcarthur and Western Sydney regions have at
various times attended meetings with the Monarch Group of Companies concerning
the land adjoining Macquarie Fields House.
(5) Land at Pleasure Point in
which Tullichewan Pty Ltd holds an interest, has been identified as being
environmentally significant and this was discussed at the April 1992
meeting.
No commitments have been given to representatives of either
Australian Land and Housing or Tullichewan Pty Ltd by departmental officers in
regard to the rezoning of land at Pleasure Point.
At the meeting with the
Monarch Group of Companies and its consultants the Minister acknowledged the
opportunities for urban development east of the freeway. The Minister gave no
commitment to the company and suggested that they continue to liaise with the
Department of Planning concerning their rezoning application.
The
Department of Planning has given no commitment to the Monarch Group of
Companies. The meetings were arranged to clarify various aspects of the
proposal and the likely timetable for the Department's assessment of a draft
local environmental plan submitted by Campbelltown City Council. The Department
is assessing the Council plan to determine whether to issue a certificate to
enable the draft local environmental plan to be placed on public
exhibition.
*425 ELECTORATE OF MOOREBANK—URBAN
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM—Mr Knowles asked the Minister for State Development
and Minister for Arts representing the Minister for Planning and Minister for
Housing—
(1) What land holdings have been included into the
Urban Development Program in the electorate of Moorebank?
(2) Which land
holdings are in the 0-5 year program and the 5-10 year program?
(3) On what
dates were each of the land holdings incorporated into the Urban Development
Program?
(4) What level of environmental assessment was conducted to
justify the inclusion of each holding into the Urban Development Program?
(5) When was the environmental assessment for each holding conducted?
(6)
If no environmental study was conducted, why not?
(7) What, bodies or
organisations, sponsored each holding for inclusion into the Urban Development
Program?
(8) (a) For each land holding did any Government agency or local
council object to the inclusion of the land into the Urban Development Program?
(i) Which
organisations?
(ii) Why did they object?
I have been advised by the Minister for
Planning and Minister for Housing that the answers to the honourable member's
questions are:
(1) The current Urban Development Program incorporates two
release areas and part of one release area within the electorate of Moorebank.
Namely, Pleasure Point (incorporating lands at Pleasure Point and Voyager
Point), Wattle Grove (refers to land at Holsworthy) and part of the
Campbelltown Combined Areas.
Page 992
(2) All three
areas mentioned in (1) are included within the current 5-year program. The
Urban Development Program is updated annually for the following 5-year period.
Currently there is no 5 to 10-year component of the program.
(3) All land
in the Campbelltown Combined Areas was incorporated in the first Urban
Development Program prepared in 1981, having been initially
"released" and zoned between approximately 1973 and 1980.
Pleasure Point was approved for inclusion in the Urban Development Program by
the Urban Development Committee of Cabinet in November 1988.
Wattle Grove
was approved for inclusion in the program by the Urban Development Committee of
Cabinet in October 1989.
(4) The Campbelltown Combined Areas were released
rezoned following the Sydney Region Outline Plan (1968) proposals, which were
subsequently translated into the Three Cities Structure Plan (1973-1976). The
areas' urban capability would have been assessed during these planning
exercises.
Planning investigations were prepared for both Pleasure Point
and Wattle Grove release areas prior to their inclusion in the Urban
Development Program. The reports addressed a number of issues including natural
features, physical infrastructure, human services and economic aspects.
(5)
The assessment of the Campbelltown Combined Areas potential was undertaken
during the planning exercises mentioned in (4) between 1968 and 1976.
The
planning investigation reports for Pleasure Point and Wattle Grove were
prepared by the Department of Planning in 1987 and 1989 respectively.
(6)
The decision to release the land now known as Campbelltown Combined Areas for
urban development predated the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
and as such no environmental study was required.
In relation to the Wattle
Grove release area, a formal environmental study was not considered necessary
as part of the rezoning process in view of the nature of the land and previous
investigations. Liverpool Council had advised the Department of Planning that
an environmental study was not required to support the proposed rezoning.
In respect of Pleasure Point, a formal environmental study pursuant to section
57 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 was prepared and
exhibited by Liverpool Council from 11 January 1989 to 1 February 1989.
Following the exhibition, reports were prepared by the National Herbarium in
1989, which indicated significant vegetation was present on part of the
Pleasure Point release area. Subsequently, of the 290 hectares of land placed
on the Urban Development Program in 1988, 135 hectares of non-urban zoned land
was removed from the program because of its high conservation value identified
in the Herbarium reports.
(7) The Campbelltown Combined Areas were part of the Macarthur Region identified as a
major new growth area in the Sydney Region Outline Plan (1968). These areas
were included in the Urban Development Program in recognition of the need to
plan and service the areas and the role they would play in accommodating new
housing developments.
The inclusion of the land at Voyager Point (part of
Pleasure Point release area) and Wattle Grove was initially requested by the
Defence Housing Authority. The inclusion of land at Pleasure Point was
initiated by Tullichewan Pty Ltd.
(8) (a) This question does not apply to
the Campbelltown Combined Areas in the view of the advanced planning of these
areas when placed on the Urban Development Program.
No objections
were received for either Wattle Grove and Pleasure Point prior to the inclusion
of these areas into the Urban Development Program from any Government agency or
Liverpool Council.
(b) In view of (8) (a) this question does
not apply.
Page 993
*427 ELECTORATE OF
THE ENTRANCE—LANDCOM BLOCKS—Mr McBride asked the Minister for State
Development and Minister for Arts representing the Minister for Planning and
Minister for Housing—
(1) How many blocks are currently
held by Landcom in the electorate of The Entrance?
(2) Where are they
located?
(3) How many of those blocks available can be released in the next
12 months?
(4) (a) How many blocks are able to be released in the next 10
years?
(b) What is the schedule for the release of these blocks and
their location?
(5) (a) How many blocks that are zoned residential
are held up for any reason?
(b) What is the reason for the delay and
their location?
I have been advised by the Minister for Planning and Minister for Housing
that the answers to the honourable member's questions are:
(1) 108 Landcom
lots as at 1 April 1993.
(2) Killarney Vale—2 lots.
Bateau
Bay—101 lots (1 lot is to be utilised for pensioner development).
Wyoming—5 lots.
(3) 2 lots at Killarney Vale and 67 lots at
Bateau Bay, including the Pensioner Housing site.
(4) (a) All lots should
be able to be released in the next 10 years.
(b) Bateau Bay—66
lots are anticipated to be able to be released in December 1993.
Bateau
Bay—34 lots are anticipated to be released in December 1994.
Bateau
Bay—The Pensioner Housing site is anticipated to be able to be released
to Public Housing for development in November 1993.
Wyoming—5 lots
are capable of being released almost immediately; however, the existing cottage
is being utilised for emergency accommodation and its demolition is required
prior to release.
(5) (a) and (b) All lots are currently zoned
residential.
Road, drainage and pathway construction is yet to be
finalised for 2 lots at Killarney Vale.
Bateau Bay (66 lots)—Tender
for development about to issue.
Bateau Bay (34 lots integrated
housing)—Tender for development about to issue.
Bateau
Bay—Pensioner Housing site—Tender for development about to
issue.
Wyoming (5 lots)—The existing dwelling is being utilised for
emergency accommodation and the lots cannot be released until alternative
accommodation is found.
3 MARCH 1993
(Paper No. 4)
*451 PUBLIC TENANTS APPEAL BOARD—Ms Allan asked
the Minister for State Development and Minister for Arts representing the
Minister for Planning and Minister for Housing—
(1) Who are
the present members of the Public Tenants Appeal Board handling appeals from
the electorate of Blacktown?
(2) When were these members appointed?
(3)
How are members of this panel selected and who is responsible for their
appointment?
Page 994
(4) How many appeals from the
electorate of Blacktown were considered in the years 1991 and 1992?
(5) How
many of these appeals were successful?
(6) What is the average length of
time between a successful appeal and a determination?
I have been advised by the Minister for
Planning and Minister for Housing that the answers to the honourable member's
questions are:
(1) The Public Tenants Appeals Panel considers appeals from
public housing tenants in New South Wales and comprises:
Convenor Mrs C. Pitchford.
City Tenants Representative Mrs
V. Cooke.
Country Tenants Representative Mr R. Sharkey.
Department of Housing Representative Senior Housing Services
Officer.
(2) The Convenor was appointed to the Panel in January
1991. The City and Country Tenant Representatives were appointed in July
1992.
(3) The Convenor is directly appointed by the Minister for Housing.
The Tenants Representatives are selected from nominations received from various
Tenants Associations and submitted to the Minister for Housing for approval and
subsequent appointment.
(4) In the Blacktown electorate 14 appeals were
considered in 1991 and 13 appeals during 1992.
(5) 4 appeals were
successful in 1991 as well as 4 in 1992.
(6) The average length of time
from when an appeal is received and the tenant notified of the outcome has been
from 6 to 8 weeks, dependent upon the nature of the appeal and the complexity
of the matters raised.
*453 BLACKTOWN AND SEVEN HILLS POLICE
PATROLS—Ms Allan asked the Minister for Police—
(1)
(a) What area is covered by each of the Blacktown and Seven Hills patrols?
(b) How many people are contained in each patrol area?
(2) (a)
How many police vehicles are stationed at Blacktown and Seven Hills Stations?
(b) What type of vehicle are they?
(3) (a) How many police
officers are stationed at Blacktown and Seven Hills Stations?
(b) What
are their designations?
(4) How many beat police are currently
stationed at Blacktown and Seven Hills Stations?
(5) Are the current
staffing levels at Blacktown and Seven Hills Stations greater or lesser than
the authorised staffing levels?
(6) If so, by how much?
(7) What are
the latest crime figures for the Blacktown and Seven Hills areas?
(1) (a) Blacktown Patrol
West to Eastern Creek, north to Scholfields Road, east to Old Windsor Road,
Sunnyholt Road, Blacktown Road, South to Prospect Reservoir and Water Pipeline.
Seven Hills Patrol Includes Kings Langley, Lalor Park and
Seven Hills.
(b) Blacktown Patrol 112,000.
Seven Hills
Patrol 55,000 (figures from 1986 census).
Page 995
(2) (a) Blacktown Patrol 19 vehicles.
Seven Hills Patrol 4
vehicles.
(b) Blacktown Police 3 caged wagons.
1
station wagon.
7 sedans (2 marked).
6 sedans (5 marked
Highway Patrol).
1 solo cycle (Highway Patrol).
1
community bus (supplied by community).
Seven Hills Patrol 1 caged
wagon.
3 sedans (2 marked).
(3) (a) Blacktown Patrol 137
authorised/144 actual as at 16 April 1993.
Seven Hills Patrol 28
authorised/34 actual as at 16 April 1993.
Authorised Actual
(b) Blacktown Patrol 1 1
Superintendent.
3 3 Inspectors.
1 1
Senior Sergeant.
21 23 Sergeants.
111
116 Constables.
Seven Hills Patrol 1 1
Inspector.
1 1 Senior
Sergeant.
5 5 Sergeants.
21 27
Constables.
(4) Blacktown Patrol 29 Beat Police as at 16 April
1993.
Seven Hills Patrol 6 Beat Police as at 16
April 1993 (overstrength awaiting authorisation).
(5) and (6)
Blacktown Patrol 7 units over strength as at 16 April 1993 (pending outcome of
workload assessment and relocation of boundaries).
Seven Hills
Patrol 6 units over strength as at 16 April 1993 (pending authorisation of
Beat Police).
(7) The honourable member should address this
question to the Attorney General for advice from the Bureau of Crime
Statistics.
*462 TREGEAR TAB AGENCY—Mr A. S. Aquilina asked the
Minister for Sport, Recreation and Racing—
(1) Will he
ensure the provision of a TAB agency at Tregear?
(2) If so, when will this
be allowed?
(3) If not, why not?
(1) No.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) The TAB considers the
Tregear area to be well serviced with eight outlets within a 4-kilometre
radius. In addition, it is considered that an additional agency in the area
would not generate sufficient new business to make the operation economically
viable at this time. However, the TAB will continue to monitor residential and
business development in the area and will continue to expand its cash outlet
facilities wherever new business opportunities are identified and an additional
service outlet can be economically sustained.
Page
996
*471 MACQUARIE FIELDS LAND REZONING—Mr Knowles asked the
Minister for Consumer Affairs and Assistant Minister for Education representing
the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs and Minister for Employment and
Training—
(1) Is the Minister aware of a rezoning proposal
relating to land held by the Department of Education adjacent to the Macquarie
Fields House at Macquarie Fields?
(2) What authorisation has been given,
either by the Minister or an officer of the Department, for the land to be
included in the application for rezoning, or for subsequent works (particularly
drainage and flood mitigation) should the rezoning proceed?
(3) Should the
rezoning proceed, what does the Minister propose to do with the land?
(4)
In the section 62 consultation required under the Environmental Planning and
Assessment Act, what advice did the Department give to Campbelltown Council or,
alternatively the Department of Planning, in relation to the proposal to
prepare a draft LEP.
Answer—
(1) Yes.
(2) With the closure of the former Glenfield Veterinary Research Station land
was exchanged to benefit the Hurlstone Agricultural High School. In the
exchange, arrangements were made to sell part of the school site which became
surplus to requirements as a consequence. This arrangement was one part of a
series of conditional contracts negotiated with the owner of the historic
Macquarie Fields House who had a proposal for extensive development.
Circumstances prevented the development from proceeding and in order to
finalise the contracts the Department agreed to the property being on-sold and
fresh development applications being lodged. Part of the land involved was
previously designated for flood mitigation works. The Department of School
Education land has now been purchased by Scots College.
(3) Not applicable
since the land has been sold.
(4) In the section 62 consultation, the
Department of School Education advised the Department of Planning that Curran
Public School and James Meehan High School would serve to provide additional
student places for the proposed development in the vicinity of the Macquarie
Fields House.
*475 CENTRAL COAST PUBLIC HOUSING LISTS—Mr
McBride asked the Minister for State Development and Minister for Arts
representing the Minister for Planning and Minister for Housing—
(1) How many people are on the Department of Housing's public housing
waiting lists at its office at Gosford in:
(a) 1987?
(b) 1988?
(c)
1989?
(d) 1990?
(e) 1991?
(f) 1992?
(g) 1993?
Page 997
(2) How many people are on the Department of Housing's
public housing waiting lists at its office at Wyong in:
(a) 1987?
(b)
1988?
(c) 1989?
(d) 1990?
(e) 1991?
(f) 1992?
(g)
1993?
(3) What has been the average waiting time for people on the
Department of Housing's public housing waiting lists at its office at Gosford
in:
(a) 1987?
(b) 1988?
(c) 1989?
(d) 1990?
(e) 1991?
(f) 1992?
(g) 1993?
(4) What has been the average waiting time for
people on the Department of Housing's public housing waiting lists at its
office at Wyong in:
(a) 1987?
(b) 1988?
(c) 1989?
(d) 1990?
(e) 1991?
(f) 1992?
(g) 1993?
(5) On an annual basis since 1987,
what has been the average waiting time for people on the Department of
Housing's public housing waiting lists at its office at Gosford in the
following accommodation types:
(a) 1-bedroom pensioner?
(b) 1-bedroom
community?
(c) 2-bedroom apartment?
(d) 2-bedroom general?
(e)
3-bedroom apartment?
(f) 3-bedroom general?
(g) 4-bedroom plus
general?
(6) On an annual basis since 1987, what has been the average
waiting time for people on the Department of Housing's public housing waiting
lists at its office at Wyong in the following accommodation types:
(a)
1-bedroom pensioner?
(b) 1-bedroom community?
(c) 2-bedroom
apartment?
(d) 2-bedroom general?
(e) 3-bedroom apartment?
(f)
3-bedroom general?
(g) 4-bedroom plus general?
Page 998
I have been advised by the
Minister for Planning and Minister for Housing that the answers to the
honourable members' questions are:
(1) to (6) The Department maintains a
centralised computer file of data about applicants for public housing and has
divided New South Wales into a number of geographical zones, termed
"allocations zones". Applicants for public housing nominate the zone
in which they require housing.
The Gosford and Wyong Local Government Areas
constituted a single allocations zone until 1988, although they are now
separate zones.
The information is therefore not available in the format
sought as the Department of Housing does not maintain individual public housing
waiting lists at each of its local offices.
The Department also does not
calculate average waiting times, but can advise the length of time between
application and allocation for a client who waited in turn for an allocation
and was not given a priority allocation.
*481 DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH RESEARCH GRANTS—Dr Refshauge asked the Minister for
Health—
(1) How much is allocated for research grants from
the Department of Health's budget for 1992/93?
(2) How much of that total
was given to the researchers in:
(a) July 1992?
(b) August 1992?
(c) September 1992?
(d) October 1992?
(e) November 1992?
(f)
December 1992?
(g) January 1993?
(h) February 1993?
(1) The Department of Health's
1992/93 budget includes $6.3 million for research grants.
(2) The amount by
month given to researchers is as follows:
(b) August 1992
1,011,899
(c) September 1992 329,147
(d) October
1992 1,180,539
(e) November 1992 230,280
(f) December 1992 1,403,104
(g) January 1993 84,243
(h) February 1993 90,307
Page 999
*486 ISOLATED PATIENTS' TRAVEL AND ASSISTANCE—Mr Sullivan asked the
Minister for Health—
(1) Why is assistance with travel
costs through the Isolated Patients' Travel and Assistance Scheme (IPTAS) not
available to cancer patients needing to travel to Perth, Western Australia, for
Microwave Therapy?
(2) Is assistance available through any other scheme
administered by the New South Wales Government?
(1) The National Health and Medical
Research Council appraised Microwave Therapy in the 1970s and found it to be of
no therapeutic benefit to cancer patients. Expert opinion remains unchanged
since that time. Given that Microwave Therapy is not a recognised form of
medical therapy for cancer patients, assistance with travel costs to Perth,
Western Australia, is not available through IPTAAS.
(2) There are no other
schemes administered by the NSW Government which would provide assistance with
travel costs to allow patients to receive an unproven method of medical
treatment.
4 MARCH 1993
(Paper No. 5)
*513
BELMONT HOSPITAL BIRTHS—Mr Bowman asked the Minister for
Health—
How many births were there in Belmont Hospital in:
(a) 1990?
(b) 1991?
(c) 1992?
*514 HUNTER AREA HEALTH SERVICE COMMUNITY
CONSULTATION—Mr Bowman asked the Minister for Health—
(1) What program for community consultation has been devised by the Hunter
Area Health Service?
(2) When will it commence?
Page
1000
(1) and (2) Since the
appointment of an Administrator in August 1991 there has been an ongoing
process of consultation between the Hunter Area Health Service and the
community of the Hunter. The consultation is achieved in a number of ways
including:
•community involvement in Health Services
Advisory/Patient Care Committees in many of its hospitals;
•community
involvement in Service Development Groups which provide advice to the Area's
Strategic Planning Committee;
•community input being sought on
discussion documents issued by the Area Health Service, including the
"Future Directions of Clinical Services" and the "Draft
Strategic Plan for Mental Health Services";
•the Chief Executive
Officer regularly accepting invitations to attend meetings of local community
groups.
*516 MUNMORAH STATE RECREATION AREA—Mr
Bowman asked the Minister for the Environment—
What was the
total expenditure on the Munmorah State Recreation Area by the National Parks
and Wildlife Service in:
(a) 1988?
(b) 1989?
(c) 1990?
(d)
1991?
(e) 1992?
(a) 1987/88: $63,000 supplied by the National Parks and Wildlife Service
(NPWS). Revenue generated by Munmorah State Rail Authority ($62,803) was
retained by the trusts in this period and used to supplement expenditure.
(b) 1988/89: $191,385 supplied by NPWS.
(c) 1989/90: $172,743 supplied by
NPWS.
(d) 1990/91: $186,224 supplied by NPWS.
(e) 1991/92: $205,000
supplied by NPWS.
These figures include both capital and recurrent
expenditure in the subject years.
Not costed in these figures is the value
of organisational support provided for the management of the State Rail
Authority from the other functional areas of the service.
9
MARCH 1993
(Paper No. 6)
*585 HUNTER AREA EMPLOYEES—Mr
Gaudry asked the Minister for the Environment representing the Attorney General
and Minister for Industrial Relations—
(1) As at 24 March
1988, how many persons were employed in the Hunter area by:
(a) Court
Houses at Newcastle, Belmont, Cessnock, Childrens Court at Broadmeadow, Dungog,
East Maitland, Kurri Kurri, Maitland, Raymond Terrace and Wallsend?
(b)
Births, Deaths and Marriages Registries?
(c) Legal Aid Commission of
NSW?
Page 1001
(2) How many persons are now
employed in each of those areas (or their 1993 equivalents)?
(3) For each
area of employment where reductions have occurred, how many of these have been
by:
(a) Voluntary redundancy?
(b) Natural attrition without
replacement?
(c) (i) Redeployment?
(ii) If so, to where?
(d)
Dismissal?
(1)
(a) As responsibility for court employees is now within the administration of
the Minister for Justice and Emergency Services, this matter should be referred
to the Minister for Justice.
(b) In 1988, 7 full-time staff and 3 part-time
staff were employed in the Newcastle Registry of Births, Deaths and
Marriages.
(c) 16 people were employed by the Legal Aid Commission in the
Hunter area in 1988.
(2) There are currently 9 full-time and 2 part-time
staff employed in the Newcastle Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
The Legal Aid Commission currently employs 21 people in the Hunter area.
(3) There have been no reductions in staffing levels at either agency.
10 MARCH 1993
(Paper No. 7)
*615 TARGETED
GRADUATES—Mr Aquilina asked the Minister for Consumer Affairs and
Assistant Minister for Education representing the Minister for Education and
Youth Affairs and Minister for Employment and Training—
(1)
How many targeted graduates have been allocated to each region of the
Department of School Education for 1993?
(2) How many targeted graduates
came from each of the universities and/or colleges?
(1) 600 targeted graduates were
allocated across the State. The allocations were based on projected vacancies
in each region.
(2) Graduates were given targeted status from 14
universities. The universities were located in both country and metropolitan
areas throughout the State.
*636 SALE OF THE TAB—Mr Face
asked the Minister for Sport, Recreation and Racing—
(1)
(a) Has the Government at any time since 1988 considered the possibility of the
sale of the New South Wales TAB?
(b) If so, was it for partial sale or for
sale?
(2) What would have been the percentage return to the Government on
taxation from such a sale?
Page 1002
(3) (a) If the
Government, through its Treasury or any other department, did not consider the
TAB for sale, has the TAB itself conducted any feasibility studies into any
sale, partial sale, joint venture or restructure?
(b) If so, what were the
particulars?
(4) (a) Has the Government had any discussions with either
the Victorian or the former or present West Australian Government about the
possible sale of their TAB?
(b) If so, were the discussions about any
involvement by the TAB in New South Wales in their operations or the likely
effects of the sale of those TABs to non-Government ownership?
(1) (a) No. However, a number of
unsolicited proposals have been forwarded to the Government by various parties.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) (a) No.
(4) (a) No.
*645 OFFICE REFURBISHMENTS—Mr Irwin asked the Minister for Consumer
Affairs and Assistant Minister for Education—
In relation
to each Department or Authority under her administration—
(1) How
much was spent on office fit-outs or refurbishment in 1991/92?
(2) What is
the estimated expenditure for 1992/93?
Answer—
The following expenses relate to expenditure (or estimated expenditure in
1992/93) on office fit-outs or refurbishments:
(1) 1991/92:
Premises Expenses ($)
Belmore 17,700
Parramatta
19,900
Albury 3,500
Total 41,100
City premises at
Stockland House, 175 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, were refurbished at the
expense of the landlord as an incentive to re-lease the premises. This involved
the floors occupied by the Consumer Claims and Commercial Tribunals, the
Registration and Licensing Division and the City Service Centre.
(2)
1992/93:
Premises Expenses ($)
Belmore 32,000
City 14,500
Gosford 146,500
Liverpool 16,750
Parramatta
315,000
Total 524,750
Page 1003
*652 DEPARTMENTAL PRE-SCHOOLS—Mr McBride asked the Minister for Consumer
Affairs and Assistant Minister for Education representing the Minister for
Education and Youth Affairs and Minister for Employment and Training—
(1) How many departmental pre-schools are in the electorates of:
(a) The Entrance?
(b) Gosford?
(c) Peats?
(d) Wyong?
(2)
Will the Minister give a commitment to increasing the number of pre-schools
attached to Department of Education schools?
(3) If so, when will the
increase take place?
(4) If not, why not?
(1) There are currently 60 departmental
pre-schools.
One of these pre-schools is in the Peats electorate.
(2)
The Department of School Education earlier this year sought expressions of
interest from the private sector to provide child care centres and/or
pre-schools on existing school sites. Expressions of interest received are
currently being considered by the Department.
I have also given a
commitment for the establishment of seven Aboriginal pre-schools.
(3)
During 1992, work commenced on Enngonia and Cummeragunja Aboriginal
pre-schools. Mungindi and Broken Hill Aboriginal pre-schools are expected to be
established in 1993/94. The Department plans to establish an Aboriginal
pre-school on the Central Coast and one each in the Metropolitan West and
Metropolitan South West Regions.
*667 OFFICE
REFURBISHMENTS—Mr Scully asked the Minister for the
Environment—
In relation to each Department or Authority
under his administration—
(1) How much was spent on office fit-outs
or refurbishment in 1991/92?
(2) What is the estimated expenditure for
1992/93?
(1) I am
advised that expenditure in 1991/92 was as follows:
$
Environment Protection Authority
119,311.20*
National Parks and Wildlife Service 40,858.00
Zoological Parks Board of NSW 34,000.00
Waste Recycling and
Processing Service 11,000.00
* Includes $14,400.00 expended by the
former State Pollution Control Commission.
(2) I am
further advised expenditure for 1992/93 is estimated as follows:
$
Environment Protection
Authority 3,465,000.00
National Parks and Wildlife Service
112,547.00
Zoological Parks Board of NSW Nil
Waste Recycling and
Processing Service 25,000.00
It should be noted the bulk
of the Environment Protection Authority expenditure is "one-off"
establishment costs for a new agency.
Page 1004
11
MARCH 1993
(Paper No. 8)
*700 BLAYNEY HIGH SCHOOL
HEATING—Mr Clough asked the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Assistant
Minister for Education representing the Minister for Education and Youth
Affairs and Minister for Employment and Training—
(1) Will
the Department of Education in its rebuilding program for Blayney High School
take into account the need to provide proper insulation within the school to
overcome freezing winter temperatures in classrooms?
(2) Will appropriate
improvements to heating be also included?
(3) When is it expected that the
school will be fully restored?
(1) A partial rebuilding program is necessary at Blayney High School
due to a fire on 5 March 1993. Damage was contained within the Administration
Building and adjacent enclosed walkway. The proposed rebuilding program is
restricted to these fire damaged areas and therefore does not include the
rebuilding or redesigning of any other areas of the school including
classrooms.
All restoration work undertaken within the fire damaged areas
will meet Secondary School Building Code requirements and all costs will be met
through the Managed Fund.
(2) Improvements to heating at Blayney High
School were undertaken in June 1992. The Assistant Director-General, Department
of School Education Western Region, approved funding to replace all defective
heaters in demountable classrooms at the school. The replacement heaters have
been installed and the Public Works Department also undertook all repairs
necessary to all gas heaters in permanent buildings. At the request of the
school, the thermostat controls of all gas heaters were adjusted above the
usual 22°C setting to enable increased room temperatures. The Public Works
Department also prepared a Heating and Temperature Monitoring Report. Results
of this report showed that temperatures in all classrooms were within the
Department of School Education's guidelines.
The issue of heating
enclosed walkways at the school was also raised in 1992.
It was pointed
out that covered walkways were enclosed at the school in recognition of the
harsh winter conditions often experienced in Blayney. As walkways are intended
as circulation areas only, they are not provided with heating.
(3) At
present plans for the restoration work to the fire damaged Administration
Building and adjacent enclosed walkway are being prepared by Public Works
Department architects in consultation with the school community. On completion
of this planning process, work will commence as soon as possible and is
scheduled to be completed by the end of Term 4, 1993.
*720
WORLD EDUCATION CONFERENCE FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES—Mr Markham asked the
Minister for State Development and Minister for Arts—
(1)
What support will he give to promote the World Education Conference for
Indigenous Peoples to be held in Wollongong in December 1993 and to assist
conference organisers?
(2) What form will this support take?
(3) Will
an Arts programme be initiated to highlight the achievements of Australia's
indigenous people during the conference?
Page 1005
(1) To date, the Ministry for the Arts
has not received a request for support. Unless there is a specific arts
component, it is considered that the matter would usually fall within the
province of the Department of Education.
(2) Any support provided by the
Ministry for the Arts will depend upon the nature of the request and will be
assessed at the appropriate time.
(3) The Ministry for the Arts has
developed a number of initiatives to mark the year of Indegenous Peoples,
including a program of five fellowships, valued at $10,000 each for artists of
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, and a $50,000 program of special
grants.
In addition, the various cultural institutions within the arts
portfolio have developed a program of activities to celebrate the year. A copy
of the proposed program of activities is indicated below.
Page
1006
Page 1007
Page 1008
*756 HUNTER REGION
EMPLOYEES—Mr Gaudry asked the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Assistant
Minister for Education representing the Minister for Education and Youth
Affairs and Minister for Employment and Training—
(1) As at
24 March 1988, how many persons were employed in the following Departments in
the Hunter Region now under your administration:
(a) Department of
Education (School Education):
(i) Regional office and inspectorate?
(ii) Secondary teaching staff?
(iii) Infants and
Primary teaching staff?
(iv) Special education?
(v) Ancillary
staff?
(vi) Cleaning staff?
(b) Department of Technical and Further
Education:
(i) Regional office—managerial and administrative
staff?
(ii) Teaching staff?
(iii) Ancillary staff?
(2) How
many persons are now employed in each of these areas?
(3) For each area of
employment where reductions have occurred, how many of these have been by:
(a) Voluntary redundancy?
(b) Natural attrition without
replacement?
(c) (i) Redeployment?
(d)
Dismissal?
(1) As
at 24 March 1988:
(a) Department of Education (School Education):
(i) Regional office and inspectorate 88.500
(ii) Secondary teaching staff 2,340.400
(iii) Infants and
Primary teaching staff 2,145.164
(iv) Student Support (Special
Education) 222.493
(v) Ancillary staff 914.428
(vi)
Cleaning staff—Not employed by the Department of
School Education.
Page 1009
(b) The TAFE Commission of New
South Wales:
(i) Regional Office—managerial and
administrative staff 38.50
(ii) Teaching staff 709.80
(iii) Ancillary staff 34.04
(2) (a) Department of Education
(School Education):
(i) Regional Office and Directors
144.000
(ii) Secondary teaching staff 2,381.650
(iii) Infants and Primary teaching staff 2,183.355
(iv) Student
Support (Special Education) 310.386
(v) Ancillary staff
908.730
(vi) Cleaning staff—Not employed by the Department of
School Education.
(b) The TAFE Commission of New
South Wales:
(i) Regional Office—managerial and administrative
staff 84.00
(ii) Teaching staff 714.82
(iii) Ancillary
staff 71.41
(3) Department of Education (School Education):
(b) 5.698—Ancillary staff.
(ii) Not applicable.
(d) Nil—All areas.
The TAFE Commission of New South Wales:
There are no decreases in any of the areas.
30
MARCH 1993
(Paper No. 9)
*771 PRIMARY SCHOOL
MAINTENANCE—Mr McBride asked the Minister for Consumer Affairs and
Assistant Minister for Education representing the Minister for Education and
Youth Affairs and Minister for Employment and Training—
(1)
How much was spent on maintenance at each primary school in the electorate of
The Entrance in:
(a) 1989/90?
(b) 1990/91?
(c) 1991/92?
(2)
How much was spent on maintenance at each primary school in the electorate of
Gordon in:
(a) 1989/90?
(b) 1990/91?
(c) 1991/92?
(3) How much
was spent on maintenance at each primary school in the electorate of Lane Cove
in:
(a) 1989/90?
(b) 1990/91?
(c) 1991/92?
Page 1010
(1) to (3) When this
Government came to office in 1988 the maintenance of schools had deteriorated
to a disastrous level and estimates of arrears of maintenance were placed
somewhere between $400 million and $800 million.
The level of expenditure
was significantly increased in 1988/89 and it has been held at that higher
level for the last 4 years. The condition of our schools is improving and they
are now leading the nation. In the study carried out by the Australian Teachers
Union in 1992 the schools sampled in New South Wales ranked with the best in
the nation.
This Government does not seek to make comparison between
electorates as requested by Mr McBride. In the overall context of cyclic
maintenance it is not reasonable to sample only 3 years out of a cyclic program
of 5 (external) and 10 (internal + external) years.
You can be assured that
the standard of school maintenance is consistently applied according to the
school's needs, not according to the political complexion of the electorate
concerned.
*773 NARARA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL—Mr McBride
asked the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Assistant Minister for Education
representing the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs and Minister for
Employment and Training—
(1) How much money has been spent
on the proposed Narara Valley High School in the 1992/93 financial year so
far?
(2) How much does the Minister anticipate will be spent on the school
in the rest of the 1992/93 financial year?
(3) (a) Have there been any
shortfalls in spending commitments announced in the 1992/93 budget?
(b) If
so:
(i) To what amount has there been a shortfall?
(ii) Why?
(iii) Does the Department have plans to fast track work in future years to
ensure it is completed by its promised date of July 1994?
(4) When
does the Minister anticipate the new school site will be operational?
(5)
What will be the school's expected student capacity?
(6) What price did the
Department pay for the land on which the school will be built?
(1) As at 14 April 1993, $185,000 has
been spent on the project.
(2) The above figure represents the total amount
which will be expended on the project in the 1992/93 financial year except for
the cost of land, the timing of which cannot be precisely determined.
(3)
(a) There has been a shortfall in spending on the Narara Valley High School
project from the amount listed in the Treasury Budget Papers.
(b) (i)
$151,000.
(ii) Delays were experienced in the acquisition of the site. The
Department finally acquired the site through compulsory acquisition.
(iii) Planning for the project has proceeded on a fast
track during site negotiations and the project is due to go to tender in the
first week of May 1993. The buildings have been designed for rapid
construction. All buildings are single storey.
Extensive
consultation between the Department and the school community has taken place at
all times during planning.
Page 1011
(4) The anticipated hand
over date for the completed project is in July/August 1994. This is contingent
upon the project being uninterrupted by matters which are beyond the control of
the Department of School Education.
(5) Narara Valley High School is being
constructed to meet an enrolment of 800 students in accordance with
departmental planning procedures which construct permanent accommodation for
projected long-term enrolments.
(6) The Department has owned a 2.91 hectare
site in Fountains Road since 1983. Additional land was needed to provide a site
suitable for a high school. As the additional land was eventually acquired by
compulsory acquisition after protracted negotiations, the final settlement
amount was determined by the Valuer General under the Land Acquisition Just
Terms Compensation Act 1991. The matter has yet to be finalised, as the period
in which the owners can appeal the amount of compensation has not yet
elapsed.
*782 AUBURN POLICE STATION—Mr Nagle asked the
Minister for Police—
(1) When will a new police station at
Auburn be built?
(2) Will the Government increase police in the Auburn
region?
(3) Will the Government rent temporary premises to assist the
station in reducing the overcrowding?
(1) There are no plans to build a new police station for the
Lidcombe area.
(2) I am advised that policing for the Auburn area is
adequate.
(3) Auburn Patrol is on the Police Service's priority list for a
new police station.
31 MARCH 1993
(Paper No. 10)
*791 DOOR-TO-DOOR SALES ACT—Mr Amery asked the Minister for
Consumer Affairs and Assistant Minister for Education—
(1)
Has the Department conducted a review of the Door-to-Door Sales Act?
(2) If
so, when did this take place?
(3) Has she received an analysis of any
submissions?
(4) When will she act on these proposals?
(1) and (2) During 1991/92 the
Department of Consumer Affairs reviewed the Door-to-Door Sales Act 1967, and
issued a Discussion Paper in May 1992 for public consultation.
(3)
Submissions were analysed and a Draft Report and Recommendations referred to
the Minister in November 1992.
(4) The proposals are in draft form only and
further research and consultation is required before they can be finalised and
implemented. This work is now being undertaken and a report is scheduled for
July 1993.
Page 1012
*808 JUNCTION REEF
MINING—Mr Nagle asked the Minister for Natural Resources—
(1) Why has mining been permitted at Junction Reef via Blayney?
(2) Has
this mining operation polluted the nearby river and/or caused the closure of
Junction Reef as a recreational and picnic area?
(3) What role did the
Member for Orange play in the granting of this mining lease?
(4) Will he
table all the documentation on the lease?
(1) Mining has been carried out in this
area on and off for the past 120 years, more recently in the late 1940s and
early 1950s. The present leases were granted in 1987 and 1991 after the mining
company had obtained development consents from Blayney Shire Council, which
required the lodgement and public display of Environmental Impact Statements.
All the necessary agreements/consents were obtained from the affected
landowners including the Canobolas Regional Parkland Trust.
The Junction
Reefs Gold Project has stimulated growth in the region particularly in the
villages and nearby towns. Economic benefits from the mine include over 65
personnel being employed over the past 6 years. Financial benefits include over
150,000 ounces of gold being recovered and exported with a value in excess of
$90 million. Direct injection of funds in the region is in excess of $6 million
per annum with an annual payroll of $2.5 million. State royalty payments and
local, State and Federal taxes are also paid.
(2) The mining company
regularly monitors the river to ensure that the Clean Waters Act and
Regulations are complied with. Historically no problems of a significant nature
have been detected. Water sample analysis is carried out by the Department of
Mineral Resources Development Laboratory. The mining company reports results of
all its monitoring and other environmental work to the Blayney Shire Council
and State Government departments annually under the Mining Rehabilitation and
Environmental Management Plan requirements in the leases.
Closure of part
of the Junction Reefs Reserve has occurred in the interests of public safety by
agreement between the mining company, the Department of Mineral Resources and
the Canobolas Regional Parkland Trust (who are responsible for the
administration of the reserve).
The mining company has opened a previously
inaccessible section of the reserve to the public whilst the other portions are
closed to public access. The new section of the reserve, called Bakers Shaft
Reserve, has been provided with an all-weather access road, barbecue, garbage
and toilet facilities.
(3) The Member for Orange, the Hon. G. B. West,
M.P., made representations on behalf of concerned persons and presented a
petition prior to the grant of the leases in 1991. These matters were
considered before a decision was made to grant the leases.
(4) No. Mining
Lease documents are available for public inspection at the Department of
Mineral Resources.
Page 1013
1 APRIL 1993
(Paper No. 11)
*852 DISORDERLY HOUSES LEGISLATION—Mr Harrison
asked the Minister for the Environment representing the Attorney General and
Minister for Industrial Relations—
Will he give a firm
assurance that the Government will not proceed with the disorderly houses
legislation introduced into the Parliament by the former Attorney General?
Consideration is presently
being given to the deficiencies in the law concerning disorderly houses and as
part of that consideration to terms of the Disorderly Houses (Amendment) Bill
are being reviewed. As the review is still proceeding it is not appropriate to
give the assurance sought.
*854 OFFICE REFURBISHMENTS—Mr
Knight asked the Minister for Natural Resources—
In
relation to each department or authority under his administration—
(1) How much was spent on office fit-outs or refurbishment in 1991/92?
(2)
What is the estimated expenditure for 1992/93?
In relation to the Department of Mineral
Resources in 1991/92 $61,694 was spent on relocation and office fit-outs.
In 1992/93 it is estimated that the Department will spend $135,354. This does
not include proposed work at the new Orange Office. This cannot be estimated
until a lease has been negotiated.
There was no expenditure incurred by the
Coal Compensation Board in 1991/92. The Board has no estimated expenditure for
1992/93.
The Mine Subsidence Board spent $11,238 in 1991/92 and has no
estimated expenditure for 1992/93.
The Department of Water Resources'
expenditure in 1991/92 was $211,374. However, $105,000 of this was provided by
the Property Services Group to assist the Department in the cost of returning a
floor of Macquarie Tower, Parramatta, to its original condition, following
vacation of that floor for occupation by another Government department.
The
Department's estimated expenditure for 1992/93 is $189,050.
There was no
expenditure incurred by the Dams Safety Committee during 1991/92. The Dams
Safety Committee has no estimated expenditure for 1992/93.
In relation to
the Broken Hill Water Board there was no expenditure incurred and the estimated
expenditure for 1992/93 is nil.
NSW Fisheries spent $193,463 in 1991/92. In
1992/93 NSW Fisheries spent $246,004 and the Fish Marketing Authority on behalf
of NSW Fisheries spent $960,000.
The financial year of the Fish Marketing
Authority ends on 31 March. For the year ended 31 March 1992, the Fish
Marketing Authority did not spend any funds on the fit-outs or refurbishment of
offices.
For the financial year ended 31 March 1993, the Fish Marketing
Authority did not spend any funds.
Page 1014
*872
LAURIETON FISHERMEN'S CO-OPERATIVE—Mr Martin asked the Minister for
Natural Resources—
What is the total Land Account Notices
received by Laurieton Fishermen's Co-operative Ltd?
This question does not come under the
responsibility of my portfolio and should be addressed to the Minister for
Conservation and Land Management.
*876 GUARANTEE OF SERVICE
BROCHURE—Mr Mills asked the Minister for Natural Resources—
Regarding the Department of Water Resources Guarantee of Service
brochure circulated last month by the Director-General—
(1) For how
long has the document been in preparation?
(2) Were any consultants
involved in the preparation?
(3) If so:
(a) Who?
(b) How much was
each paid?
(4) How many copies were printed?
(5) To whom were copies
distributed?
(6) What were the costs of:
(a) Printing?
(b)
Distribution?
(c) The project overall?
(1) The process of preparation of the
document took approximately 2 months.
(2) No consultants were involved in the preparation.
(3)
Not applicable.
(4) 4,000 copies were printed.
(5) The copies were
distributed in the first instance to customers who receive the Department's
Annual Report. These would typically be: peak irrigator bodies, interest
groups, academic and research institutions, water industry agencies and
businesses, other interested Government agencies and businesses and private
citizens. In addition, bulk copies were sent to the Department's regional
offices to be made available to interested clients. Copies were also
distributed to all departmental staff.
(6) Costs are as follows:
(a)
Printing—$1,630.
(b) Distribution—$1,228.
(c) The project
overall $3,532 (including an additional cost of $674 for design and
courier).
Page 1015
20 APRIL 1993
(Paper No. 12)
*908 DARLING RIVER WATER VOLUMES—Mr Beckroge
asked the Minister for Natural Resources—
(1) Are
statistics kept showing the volume of water in the Darling River at Bourke,
Louth, Tilpa and Wilcannia?
(2) If so, what do these records show over the
last 3 months?
(3) Is the Darling River facing a critical water problem
upstream of Wilcannia because of large amounts of water taken out by
pumpers?
(4) What action is Water Resources taking to ensure the river
flows and that blue-green algae does not reappear?
(1) Yes, daily flow data is available
for Bourke, Wilcannia and Louth. However, since Tilpa is primarily a flood
warning station, flow data is not available for Tilpa.
(2) Records show
that, for the first 3 months of this year, the following monthly flows (in
megalitres) have been recorded at Bourke, Wilcannia and Louth:
January 1993 February 1993 March 1993
Bourke 46,970
13,460 7,070
Wilcannia 69,110 18,330 7,270
Louth
30,370 8,170 5,160
Records indicate that in the past these
three stations have stopped flowing for months on end.
(3)
No. The Darling River is not facing a critical water supply problem upstream of
Wilcannia because of large amounts of water being taken out by pumpers. In
fact, because of the current drought, flows in the Darling River would be even
lower at present were it not for water which has originated from
State-constructed dams.
That is, under natural conditions (with no
irrigation development along the Darling River and its tributaries), flows
would have actually ceased by now.
(4) In June 1992, an interim unregulated
flow management plan for the north-west was released, which is currently under
review. The main thrust of the plan was to revise the management of unregulated
flows to achieve immediate gains in the health of our river system without
causing severe consequences for water users.
The management plan focussed
attention on: the management of unregulated flows; the need for Queensland to
participate in the integrated management of the catchment; the necessity to
regard this plan as part of a package of actions to reduce the blue-green algae
threat; and the need to avoid the further planned expansion of the use of
unregulated flow for irrigation, at least until the outcomes of the development
of Valley Management Plans are known.
Continued growth of water usage along
the unregulated streams in the north-west is reducing water available to
downstream users and the environment. The interim plan advises of the decision
to introduce restrictions on tributaries and effluents of the Border Rivers,
Gwydir, Namoi, lower Macquarie and Barwon-Darling river systems.
Consequently, an embargo was imposed on 12 March 1993 on the issue of
irrigation licences greater than 10 hectares on unregulated streams in the
Border Rivers, Gwydir and Namoi Valleys. An embargo on the issue of licences on
regulated streams has been in place for some 10 years.
Page
1016
*926 CLASS SIZES—ELECTORATE OF KEIRA—Mr Markham
asked the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Assistant Minister for Education
representing the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs and Minister for
Employment and Training—
(1) Are schools in the electorate
of Keira operating classes containing more than 30 pupils?
(2) If so, which
schools?
(3) Are schools in the electorate of Keira operating composite
classes?
(4) If so:
(a) At which schools?
(b) Which schools operate
composite classes containing more than 25 students?
(c) Which schools
operate composite classes containing kindergarten students?
(d) How many
students are in kindergarten composite classes at these schools?
(e) How
many of these students are kindergarten students?
(1) to (4) The Department of School
Education has a clear commitment to excellence in New South Wales schools,
providing for more than 750,000 young people currently enrolled in the
Government School System.
The Department's efforts are directed to
improving educational standards in schools, improving parental choice and
participation and increasing learning opportunities for all. To provide the
detailed information requested in the Member's question would impinge on the
resources and time of Senior Departmental Officers. As a consequence, I am not
willing to move resources from the Department's core responsibility to meet
this request. General statistical information on the Department of School
Education is available in the Department's Annual Report.
21 APRIL
1993
(Paper No. 13)
*968 PUBLIC SCHOOL
MAINTENANCE—ELECTORATE OF PORT STEPHENS—Mr Martin asked the
Minister for Consumer Affairs and Assistant Minister for Education representing
the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs and Minister for Employment and
Training—
(1) How much was spent on maintenance at the
following public schools in the electorate of Port Stephens in 1990/91 and
1991/92:
(a) Tea Gardens Public School?
(b) Booral Public School?
(c) Karuah Public School?
(d) Irrawang Public School?
(e) Irrawang High
School?
(f) Raymond Terrace Primary School?
(g) Raymond Terrace High
School?
(h) Salt Ash Public School?
(i) Tanilba Bay Public School?
(j) Nelson Bay Primary School?
(k) Nelson Bay High School?
(l) Shoal
Bay Public School?
(m) Anna Bay Public School?
(n) Bobs Farm Public
School?
Page 1017
(o) Soldiers Point Public
School?
(p) Mayfield East Public School?
(q) Mayfield West Public
School?
(2) How much over and above the annual maintenance
grant was the expenditure in respect of each school?
(3) Is there a waiting
list for funding of major maintenance items at these schools?
(4) If so:
(a) Which schools are wait-listed?
(b) What are the maintenance items
awaiting funding?
(c) Which items will be funded in 1992/93?
(1) and (2) When this
Government came to office in 1988 the maintenance of schools had deteriorated
to a disastrous level and estimates of arrears of maintenance were placed
somewhere between $400 million and $800 million.
The level of expenditure
was significantly increased in 1988/89 and it has been held at that higher
level for the last 4 years. The condition of our schools is improving and they
are now leading the nation. In the study carried out by the Australian Teachers
Union in 1992 the schools sampled in New South Wales ranked with the best in
the nation.
It is not satisfactory to report on individual
schools for 3 years out of a 5-year (external) and 10-year (internal/external)
cyclic maintenance. It would give the impression of distorted expenditure even
though all of the schools in the electorate of Port Stephens are listed for
maintenance in a 5-year period.
(3) There is no waiting list other than
that the schools have been listed for cyclic maintenance over a 5-year period
and some are not scheduled until 1993/94 and 1994/95. Emergency matters will be
dealt with if they arise.
(4) Not applicable.
22 APRIL 1993
(Paper No. 14)
*1021 COMPOSITE CLASSES—ELECTORATE OF
WALLSEND—Mr Mills asked the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Assistant
Minister for Education representing the Minister for Education and Youth
Affairs and Minister for Employment and Training—
(1) Are
schools in the electorate of Wallsend operating classes containing more than 30
pupils?
(2) If so:
(a) Which schools?
(b) How many classes at each
school?
(3) Are schools in the electorate of Wallsend operating composite
classes?
(4) If so:
(a) At which schools?
(b) How many classes at
each school?
(c) Which classes are composited in each case?
(d) Which
schools operate composite classes containing more than 25 students?
(e)
Which schools operate composite classes containing Kindergarten students?
(f) How many students are in Kindergarten composite classes at these
schools?
(g) How many of these students are Kindergarten students?
Page 1018
(1)
to (4) The Department of School Education has a clear commitment to excellence
in New South Wales schools, providing for more than 750,000 young people
currently enrolled in the Government School System.
The Department's
efforts are directed to improving educational standards in schools, improving
parental choice and participation and increasing learning opportunities for
all. To provide the detailed information requested in the Member's question
would impinge on the resources and time of Senior Departmental Officers. As a
consequence, I am not willing to move resources from the Department's core
responsibility to meet this request. General statistical information on the
Department of School Education is available in the Department's Annual
Report.
27 APRIL 1993
(Paper No. 15)
*1060
STAFF EQUIPMENT—Mr Sullivan asked the Minister for Natural
Resources—
With reference to the Director-General of the
Department of Mineral Resources—
(1) Does his immediate staff have
the use of a photocopy machine?
(2) If yes, what is the brand and
model?
(3) Who is responsible for:
(a) The selection of the
photocopier?
(b) Determining the time of replacement?
(c) The payment
of servicing and maintenance and other associated costs?
(4) Does the
present photocopier have:
(a) Automatic document feeder?
(b) Duplex
document feeder?
(c) Large capacity cassette—if yes, what
capacity?
(d) Duplex unit—if yes, what capacity?
(e) Paper size
selection—if yes, what range of paper sizes?
(f) Magnification
selector—if yes, is it automatic?
(g) Reduction and enlargement?
(h) Interruption capability?
(i) Page by page copying?
(j) Frame
erasure?
(k) Punch hole erasure?
(l) Cover mode?
(m) Image
shifter?
(n) Program memory?
(o) Built-in editing?
(p) Multiple
sheet bypass?
(q) Bin sorter—if yes, what capacity?
(r) Other
than black colour copying—if yes, what colours?
(5) Does the
Director-General of the Department of Mineral Resources have the use of:
(a) A modular phone?
(b) A car phone?
(6) If yes, in each or
either case, what is the brand name and model of the phone(s)?
Page 1019
(7) If yes, in each or either case, who pays for:
(a)
The purchase and installation costs?
(b) Each call made?
(c) Repairs
and maintenance costs?
(1) Yes.
(2) Xerox 5046.
(3) (a) Director Administration in
consultation with Director-General/Executive Assistant.
(b) Director
Administration.
(c) Department has a Service Agreement with Rank
Xerox.
(4) (a) Yes.
(b) Yes.
(c) Yes, one ream.
(d) Yes, 50
sheets of A4.
(e) Yes, size selection A3, A4.
(f) Yes.
(g) Yes.
(h) Yes.
(i) Yes.
(j) No.
(k) No.
(l) Yes.
(m) Yes.
(n)
Yes.
(o) No.
(p) Yes.
(q) No.
(r) No.
(5) (a) No.
(6) Re (b) car phone brand—Uniden.
(7) (a) Department of
Mineral Resources.
(b) Department of Mineral Resources.
(c) Department
of Mineral Resources.
(Paper No. 16)
*1073 COMPOSITE CLASSES—ELECTORATE OF
CHARLESTOWN—Mr Face asked the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Assistant
Minister for Education representing the Minister for Education and Youth
Affairs and Minister for Employment and Training—
(1) How
many schools in the electorate of Charlestown have in excess of 30 pupils in
classes?
(2) (a) How many composite classes currently exist in the
electorate of Charlestown?
(b) At what schools are these classes
operating?
Page 1020
(3) (a) How many composite
classes existed in the electorate of Charlestown in the years 1991 and 1992?
(b) At what schools were they operating?
(4) (a) How many composite
classes in the electorate of Charlestown have more than 25 pupils?
(b) At
what schools are they operating?
(5) (a) How many composite classes in the
electorate of Charlestown contain kindergarten children?
(b) At what
schools are they operating?
(1) to (5) The Department of School Education has a clear commitment
to excellence in New South Wales schools, providing for more than 750,000 young
people currently enrolled in the Government School System.
The Department's
efforts are directed to improving educational standards in schools, improving
parental choice and participation and increasing learning opportunities for
all. To provide the detailed information requested in the Member's question
would impinge on the resources and time of Senior Departmental Officers. As a
consequence, I am not willing to move resources from the Department's core
responsibility to meet this request. General statistical information on the
Department of School Education is available in the Department's Annual
Report.
11 MAY 1993
(Paper No. 18)
1200 FOOD
SUPPLY PROJECT—FOOD SHARE AUSTRALIA—Mr Amery to ask the Minister
for Community Services and Assistant Minister for Health—
(1) Has he received representation from Mr Michael Deane of Food Share
Australia for Government assistance in the establishment of a food supply
project?
(2) What is the present position with these representations?
(3) What action is the Government taking to assist this organisation?
1201 AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE INDUSTRY SITE—RESIDENTIAL
DEVELOPMENT—Mr A. S. Aquilina to ask the Minister for State Development
and Minister for Arts representing the Minister for Planning and Minister for
Housing—
(1) How many residential dwellings are planned to
be sited on the Australian Defence Industry site at St Marys/Werrington?
(2) How long is it expected that this will be fully completed in its
residential development?
1202 WATER BOARD—RESIDENTIAL
RATE DEFAULTERS—Mr A. S. Aquilina to ask the Minister for State
Development and Minister for Arts representing the Minister for Planning and
Minister for Housing—
(1) What is the total number of
residential water ratepayers within the Sydney Water Board?
(2) How many
ratepayers defaulted in payment for each year since 1988?
(3) How many
defaulters have had their water supply restricted in each of these years?
Page 1021
1203
RAILWAY STAFF—ELECTORATE OF BATHURST—Mr Clough to ask the Minister
for Transport and Minister for Tourism—
(1) How many
redundancies have been achieved in railway staff since 1988 at:
(a)
Lithgow?
(b) Bathurst?
(c) Blayney?
(d) Kandos?
(2) What has
been the total "payout" figure with regard to the redundancies?
(3) As at 11 May 1993, what is the total railway staff employed in the
electorate of Bathurst?
(4) What was the total railway staff employed in
the electorate of Bathurst in July 1988?
1204 EASTERN CREEK
RESUMPTION—Mr Clough to ask the Minister for State Development and
Minister for Arts representing the Minister for Planning and Minister for
Housing—
(1) Did he authorise the resumption of land owned
by Louis and Elsie Dalley at Eastern Creek in 1990?
(2) For what purpose
was the land resumed?
(3) Is the land part of the Eastern Creek
Raceway?
(4) What was the final purchase price of the land?
(5) When
was settlement reached?
(6) Under what circumstances was settlement made:
(a) By an offer from the Department?
(b) By an offer from a private
developer?
(c) If by other means, which?
(7) Are there any current
proposals to develop the land?
(8) If so, by:
(b) Private development?
(9) If by private development,
under what terms?
1205 LITHGOW COMMUNITY HOSPITAL—NEW
BUILDING—Mr Clough to ask the Minister for Health—
(1) When is it expected that agreement will be reached with the Lithgow
Community Hospital committee for the erection of a new hospital at Lithgow?
(2) What is contained in the present proposal:
(a) For public beds?
(b)
Private beds?
(c) What other proposals?
(3) What is the likely funding
source for the hospital?
(4) Will the Department of Health staff the public
sector entirely?
1206 TANGARA TINTED WINDOWS—Mr Davoren
to ask the Minister for Transport and Minister for Tourism—
(1) Is he aware that difficulty is experienced by passengers in Tangara
carriages to read station signs at night due to the tinted windows?
(2)
What steps are being instituted to solve this problem?
Page
1022
1207 BUS DESTINATION SIGNS—Mr Davoren to ask the Minister
for Transport and Minister for Tourism—
(1) Is he aware
that bus destination signs are largely eligible and difficult to read?
(2)
What steps is he taking to remedy the matter?
1208
CONSOLIDATED FUND TRAFFIC INFRINGEMENT RECEIPTS—Mr Gaudry to ask the
Minister for Police—
(1) How much money was paid into the
Consolidated Fund in the budget years 1990/91, 1991/92 arising from:
(a)
Traffic infringements detected by radar?
(b) Traffic infringements detected
by camera?
(2) How many infringements were issued for each of these
methods in 1990/91 and 1991/92?
(3) What was the percentage of recovery of
fines for each of these categories?
(4) For each of the following
infringement types what percentage of each fine is allocated to:
(a)
Consolidated Revenue:
(i) On the spot traffic infringements?
(ii) On
the spot parking infringements?
(iii) Radar detected traffic
infringements?
(iv) Camera detected traffic infringements?
(b) Costs
of collection and administration:
(i) On the spot traffic
infringements?
(ii) On the spot parking infringements?
(iii) Radar
detected traffic infringements?
(iv) Camera detected traffic
infringements?
1209 NON-INDIGENOUS
SPECIES—Mr Martin to ask the Minister for the Environment—
(1) How many deer have been removed from The Royal National Park?
(2) Are these animals being removed because they are not indigenous?
(3) Is
it policy to remove non-indigenous species from national parks?
(4) Will he
remove feral cats and foxes from national parks?
(5) Will he consider trout
as non-indigenous?
(6) Will he take action to ensure trout will not be
removed from national parks?
(7) If so, will he consult the community
before commencing the ridding of trout from streams?
1210
GLADESVILLE BRIDGE WORK—Mr J. H. Murray to ask the Deputy Premier,
Minister for Public Works and Minister for Roads—
(1) When
was Gladesville Bridge last fully inspected for corrosion of its component
parts?
(2) Did this inspection reveal any existing or future defects in the
bridge's structure?
(3) Will any defects require remedial work?
(4) If
so, when will this remedial work be undertaken?
(5) What is the nature of
any bridge defects?
(6) Will remedial work impact on traffic flows on the
bridge?
(7) What impact have heavy transport had on the bridge's
structure?
Page 1023
1211 DRUMMOYNE BOYS' HIGH
SCHOOL—Mr J. H. Murray to ask the Minister for Consumer Affairs and
Assistant Minister for Education representing the Minister for Education and
Youth Affairs and Minister for Employment and Training—
(1)
Why was Drummoyne Boys' High School closed?
(2) Did the Department use 1986
demographic data to assess the factors that brought about the closure of
Drummoyne Boys' High School?
(3) What are the latest demographic figures
available to the Department for the assessment of school closures?
(4) How
are these statistics compiled?
(5) Why has Drummoyne Boys' High School not
been used since its closure?
(6) What is the future for the Drummoyne Boys'
High School site?
1212 TRAIN SERVICE CO-ORDINATION—Mr
Nagle to ask the Minister for Transport and Minister for Tourism—
(1) Is it the Government's policy as far as possible to co-ordinate
train schedules so that when one train arrives at a station it can meet another
train so that changing passengers can meet the connecting service?
(2) If
so, why could not the 8.45 a.m. Bondi Junction train connect up with the 8.46
a.m. train to St James Station from Central Station on 11 May 1993?
1213 FARE EVASION—Mr Nagle to ask the Minister for Transport and
Minister for Tourism—
(1) What revenue was gained through
legal action against fare evaders from 1988 to 1993?
(2) Is there a report
and/or memoranda on fare evasion?
(3) (a) Does not this report and/or
memoranda set out the estimated loss on fare evasion?
(b) If so, what is
the annual loss of revenue through fare evasion from 1988 to 1993?
1214 SILVERWATER PRISON LAND ACQUISITION—Mr Nagle to ask the
Minister for Justice and Minister for Emergency Services—
(1) What is the Department's plan about the acquisition of land for the
extension of Silverwater Prison?
(2) Is it the intention that the
Department will resume land which is or has been reserved for parkland?
(3)
If so:
(a) On what basis is the land to be resumed?
(b) What parkland
will be given to Auburn Municipal Council to compensate it for its loss?
(c) Why is this land required?
1215 BONDI JUNCTION LEGAL
AID OFFICE—Mr Page to ask the Minister for the Environment representing
the Attorney General and Minister for Industrial Relations—
(1) How many applications for legal aid were received in 1992 by the Bondi
Junction Legal Aid Office?
(2) How many of those applications related to:
(a) Criminal matters?
(b) Civil matters?
(c) Family law
matters?
Page 1024
(3) How many of the
applications referred to in question (2) were approved in each category?
(4) How many of the refusals in each category were based on:
(a) Means?
(b) Merit?
(c) Lack of funds?
1216 TANGARA RAIL CAR
SEATING—Mr Price to ask the Minister for Transport and Minister for
Tourism—
(1) What type of seating is proposed for the last
25 Tangara rail cars?
(2) Is a fixed seat to be fitted?
(3) If so, are
the seats to be arranged facing one direction only or will they be placed in
the same split configuration that exist on the Tangara cars already in
service.
(4) Is a revolving seat to be fitted?
(5) Is a reversible seat
to be fitted?
1217 JOHN HUNTER HOSPITAL—IMMUNOLOGY UNIT
SERVICES—Mr Price to ask the Minister for Health—
(1)
During the second half of 1992 did he assure the Hunter community that the
Government was working with the administration of the Hunter Area Health
Service to improve the services of the Clinical Immunology Unit at the John
Hunter Hospital?
(2) Were these assurances followed up by similar
statements by the Director-General of Health and the Chief Executive Officer of
the Hunter Area Health Service?
(3) Why has there been identifiable
reduction in services in this Unit brought about by reduced staffing and
facilities resulting from a reduction and/or redirecting of dedicated AIDS
funding?
(4) Will he ensure that an immediate review be conducted and the
findings of that review be made public as soon as possible?
1218 JOHN HUNTER HOSPITAL—IMMUNOLOGY UNIT—Mr Price to ask the
Minister for Health—
(1) What is the current status of the
Clinical Immunology Unit at John Hunter Hospital?
(2) What numbers of
patients were treated in this Unit in the years:
(a) 1990?
(b)
1991?
(c) 1992?
(d) To 30 April 1993?
(3) How many patients from
outside the Hunter Area Health Service region were treated via the Units
Tertiary Referral Section during the years:
(a) 1990?
(b) 1991?
(c)
1992?
(d) To 30 April 1993?
(4) What is the anticipated increase of
patients through the Unit over 1992 for 1993 and 1994?
Page
1025
(5) (a) In 1990/91, what was the staff medical compliment
for:
(i) Staff Specialists?
(ii) Registrars?
(b) What are the
respective medical staff levels today?
(6) (a) What was the numerical
level of clerical staff for the Unit during the period 1990/91 at the Royal
Newcastle Hospital?
(b) What is the allocated clerical staff today?
(7) (a) When did the Social Worker cease operations with the Unit?
(b) Will
this position be restored and when?
(8) Has the comparative budget of this
Unit been reduced by 17 per cent over the last 2 years?
(9) (a) What has
the recently reported $400,000 component of the Commonwealth HIV/AIDS earmarked
enhancement funds not provided to the Unit for treatment purposes, been
allocated to and on whose authority?
(b) Was Commonwealth approval sought
and received for this reallocation?
1219 TUMUT/BRUNGLE
LOCAL ABORIGINAL LAND COUNCIL—Dr Refshauge to ask the Premier and
Treasurer—
(1) Why has there not been an Annual General
Meeting of the Tumut/Brungle Local Aboriginal Land Council for the last 5
years?
(2) Where has rent monies that have been paid to the Tumut/Brungle
Local Aboriginal Land Council been directed?
(3) What funding has been
allocated to the Tumut/Brungle Local Aboriginal Land Council over the past 5
years?
(4) When can a new Tumut/Brungle Local Aboriginal Land Council be
elected?
(5) What land has been acquired by the Tumut/Brungle Local
Aboriginal Land Council over the last 5 years?
(6) What is the present
legal status of the Tumut/Brungle Local Aboriginal Land Council?
(7) What
positions are presently occupied on the Tumut/Brungle Local Aboriginal Land
Council?
(8) When and how were the occupied positions filled and what are
the names of the people in these positions?
(9) What has happened to the
community bus which was purchased by the Tumut/Brungle Local Aboriginal Land
Council?
(10) What actions can be taken to get the details of how and why
this community has not had a functional Local Aboriginal Land Council for the
last 5 years?
1220 BEGA HOSPITAL REFURBISHING—Dr
Refshauge to ask the Minister for Health—
(1) When will
Bega Hospital refurbishing be complete?
(2) How many patients are waiting
for elective surgery at Bega Hospital?
(3) What alternatives are being
offered for those patients who are waiting?
1221 PAMBULA
DISTRICT HOSPITAL ELECTIVE SURGERY—Dr Refshauge to ask the Minister for
Health—
(1) Has all elective surgery at Pambula District
Hospital been stopped?
(2) If so, for how long?
(3) How many people are
waiting for elective surgery at Pambula District Hospital?
(4) What
alternatives are being offered for those waiting?
Page 1026
1222 STAFF EQUIPMENT—Mr Sullivan to ask the Minister for State
Development and Minister for Arts representing the Minister for Planning and
Minister for Housing—
With reference to the Director of the
Department of Planning:
(1) Does his immediate staff have the use of a
photocopy machine?
(2) If yes, what is the brand and model?
(3) Who is
responsible for:
(a) The selection of the photocopier?
(b) Determining
the time of replacement?
(c) The payment of servicing and maintenance and
other associated costs?
(4) Does the present photocopier have:
(a)
Automatic document feeder?
(b) Duplex document feeder?
(c) Large
capacity cassette—if yes, what capacity?
(d) Duplex unit—if
yes, what capacity?
(e) Paper size selection—if yes, what range of
paper sizes?
(f) Magnification selector—if yes, is it automatic?
(g) Reduction and enlargement?
(h) Interruption capability?
(i) Page by
page copying?
(j) Frame erasure?
(k) Punch hole erasure?
(l) Cover
mode?
(m) Image shifter?
(n) Program memory?
(o) Built-in
editing?
(p) Multiple sheet bypass?
(q) Bin sorter—if yes, what
capacity?
(r) Other than black colour copying—if yes, what
colours?
(5) Does the Director of the Department of Planning
have the use of:
(a) A modular phone?
(b) A car phone?
(6) If yes, in each or either case, what is the brand name and
model of the phone(s)?
(7) If yes, in each or either case, who pays for:
(a) The purchase and installation costs?
(b) Each call
made?
(c) Repairs and maintenance costs?
1223 STAFF
EQUIPMENT—Mr Sullivan to ask the Minister for Natural
Resources—
With reference to the Executive Policy Adviser
of the Department of Natural Resources:
(1) Does his immediate staff have
the use of a photocopy machine?
(2) If yes, what is the brand and
model?
(3) Who is responsible for:
(a) The selection of the
photocopier?
(b) Determining the time of replacement?
(c) The payment
of servicing and maintenance and other associated costs?
Page 1027
(4) Does the present photocopier have:
(a) Automatic
document feeder?
(b) Duplex document feeder?
(c) Large capacity
cassette—if yes, what capacity?
(d) Duplex unit—if yes, what
capacity?
(e) Paper size selection—if yes, what range of paper
sizes?
(f) Magnification selector—if yes, is it automatic?
(g)
Reduction and enlargement?
(h) Interruption capability?
(i) Page by
page copying?
(j) Frame erasure?
(k) Punch hole erasure?
(l) Cover
mode?
(m) Image shifter?
(n) Program memory?
(o) Built-in
editing?
(p) Multiple sheet bypass?
(q) Bin sorter—if yes, what
capacity?
(r) Other than black colour copying—if yes, what
colours?
(5) Does the Executive Policy Adviser of the Department of
Natural Resources have the use of:
(a) A modular phone?
(b) A car
phone?
(6) If yes, in each or either case, what is the brand name and
model of the phone(s)?
(7) If yes, in each or either case, who pays for:
(a) The purchase and installation costs?
(b) Each call made?
(c)
Repairs and maintenance costs?
1224 STAFF
EQUIPMENT—Mr Sullivan to ask the Minister for Natural
Resources—
With reference to the Director of the Department
of Water Resources:
(1) Does his immediate staff have the use of a
photocopy machine?
(2) If yes, what is the brand and model?
(3) Who is
responsible for:
(a) The selection of the photocopier?
(b) Determining
the time of replacement?
(c) The payment of servicing and maintenance and
other associated costs?
(4) Does the present photocopier have:
(a)
Automatic document feeder?
(b) Duplex document feeder?
(c) Large
capacity cassette—if yes, what capacity?
(d) Duplex unit—if
yes, what capacity?
(e) Paper size selection—if yes, what range of
paper sizes?
(f) Magnification selector—if yes, is it automatic?
(g) Reduction and enlargement?
(h) Interruption capability?
(i) Page by
page copying?
(j) Frame erasure?
(k) Punch hole erasure?
Page 1028
(l) Cover mode?
(m) Image shifter?
(n) Program memory?
(o) Built-in editing?
(p) Multiple sheet
bypass?
(q) Bin sorter—if yes, what capacity?
(r) Other than
black colour copying—if yes, what colours?
(5) Does the
Director of the Department of Water Resources have the use of:
(a) A
modular phone?
(b) A car phone?
(6) If yes, in each or either case,
what is the brand name and model of the phone(s)?
(7) If yes, in each or
either case, who pays for:
(a) The purchase and installation costs?
(b)
Each call made?
(c) Repairs and maintenance costs?
_______________________________________________________
Authorised by the Parliament of New South Wales
