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Other Parliamentary SpeechesThis page is dedicated to Peter's speeches during parliament that do not fall under Questions or Questions without notice. They range from debating legislation, reporting on events or issues in his seat of Southport and his Ministerial Statements.
Appropriation Bill - Estimates Committee G |
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| Posted by Administrator (admin) on Aug 21 2003 |
| Other Speeches >> |
Mr LAWLOR (Southport-ALP) (5.23 p.m.): I support the report of Estimates Committee G, which examined the proposed expenditure set out in the Appropriation Bill 2003 for the organisational units within the portfolios of the Minister for Primary Industries and Rural Communities and the Minister for Tourism and Racing and Minister and Fair Trading.At the outset, let me record my thanks to the secretariat, Stephen Finnimore, Luke Passfield and Andrea Musch. As is usually the case with parliamentary staff, they were efficient, conscientious and pleasant at the same time. The same can be said for the Hansard reporters. I also thank the ministers and their departmental staff for the professional manner in which they approached the hearing. Thanks also to fellow committee members and to our chairman, Tim Mulherin, who conducted the hearing with fairness and efficiency and who maintained his sense of humour throughout. I intend to comment on only a few issues raised.
In relation to Tourism, this government has demonstrated its commitment and support for the tourism industry with the continuing funding of Queensland's six convention bureaus, with $7.5 million over four years, or $1.875 million per annum. This will take the contribution by our government over eight years to $15.5 million for this lucrative and rapidly growing industry segment. Convention and incentive units on the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Whitsundays, Townsville and Cairns can now operate with certainty.
The business events sector is a major money-spinner for Queensland. It is worth about $1.6 billion per year. Queensland has experienced strong growth in delegate days, with an average of 13 per cent growth per annum over the four years to June 2002. It is estimated that this growth led to an increase of about 5,956 jobs in Queensland.
Support for the convention bureau is on top of support for the regional tourist organisations of almost $3.5 million. This year's budget recognises the growth of this segment of tourism in areas such as the Whitsundays. Funding for the Whitsundays bureau has increased from $125,000 two years ago to almost $200,000 in this budget. The six convention bureaus receive base funding of $120,000 each to provide resources to employ marketing managers and for administrative assistance. Additional funding is distributed based on the share of the total Queensland meeting expenditure, the share of Queensland's delegate days to international and national meetings, the share of room stock, weighting for relative dependency on meetings market and also the share of venues with capacity greater than 1000.
In relation to Primary Industries, the estimates committee hearing was held the week after an eight-metre humpback whale had become entangled in shark control gear off Surfers Paradise. The minister was able to advise the committee of the measures in place and the new initiatives to reduce the accidental capture of marine mammals in the shark control program gear. Over the last decade the DPI has introduced a range of measures, including the use of whale and dolphin alarms and the establishment of marine mammal rescue teams. Last year the government approved a research package of $500,000 over five years to further assist attempts to reduce the program's impacts.
Some of the research is into drumline technology, including identifying alternative baits and the use of bycatch-friendly hooks, comparing the effectiveness of nets and baited lines, and research into alternatives to current catching technology, including investigating advances made using electromagnetic devices for the repulsion of sharks and their application to bather safety at beaches.
A further initiative that is currently being implemented is the use of specially designed telemetry buoys to be used in cases when whales cannot be immediately freed from shark control gear. The buoys will enable rescue teams to monitor the movement of the whale in the intervening period. I am advised by the minister's office that the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol has taken receipt of the electronic equipment and is in the process of configuring the buoys.
One of the issues I raised with the minister during the hearing was the response of the government's law changes to allow for the commercial production of industrial hemp in Queensland. The minister advised the committee that the government has authorised 21 growers and two researchers under laws introduced last year permitting commercial production of industrial hemp. Crops grown in the first season under amendments to the Drugs Misuse Act were in an area from Mareeba in the north to Peak Crossing, near Ipswich, in the south. The area of industrial hemp planted per grower during the past season ranged from a quarter of a hectare to 10 hectares. Industrial hemp fibre and grain products are experiencing-
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