PT WEIR SPEAKER

NJ LAURIE CLERK OF THE PARLIAMENT

JM MATHERS CHIEF HANSARD REPORTER

ISSN 1322-0330

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

Hansard Home Page: http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/hansard

Email: hansard@parliament.qld.gov.au Phone (07) 3553 6344

FIRST SESSION OF THE FIFTY-EIGHTH PARLIAMENT

Thursday, 3 April 2025

Subject Page PRIVILEGE ........................................................................................................................................................................... 777

Unparliamentary Language, Withdrawal .......................................................................................................... 777 Speaker’s Ruling, Alleged Deliberate Misleading of the House ..................................................................... 777

Tabled paper: Correspondence relating to an alleged contempt and misleading of the House by the Leader of the Opposition and member for Murrumba. ............................................................ 777

Speaker’s Ruling, Alleged Deliberate Misleading of the House ..................................................................... 778 Tabled paper: Correspondence relating to an alleged contempt and misleading of the House by the member for Inala. ................................................................................................................... 778

Speaker’s Ruling, Alleged Deliberate Misleading of the House ..................................................................... 778 Tabled paper: Correspondence relating to an alleged contempt and misleading of the House by the member for Algester............................................................................................................... 778

SPEAKER’S STATEMENTS ................................................................................................................................................. 779 Conduct of Members ......................................................................................................................................... 779 Telford, Ms M ..................................................................................................................................................... 779 Visitors to Public Gallery .................................................................................................................................. 780

MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................... 780 Regional Queensland ........................................................................................................................................ 780 Crisafulli LNP Government, Performance ....................................................................................................... 781 Illicit Smoking Products.................................................................................................................................... 781 Parole Board ...................................................................................................................................................... 782 Federal Budget, GST ......................................................................................................................................... 783 Trade and Investment ....................................................................................................................................... 783 Police Resources .............................................................................................................................................. 784 Sporting Infrastructure ..................................................................................................................................... 785 Fire Ants ............................................................................................................................................................ 785 Community Clubs ............................................................................................................................................. 786 Weather Events, Small and Family Business .................................................................................................. 787

Table of Contents – Thursday, 3 April 2025

SPECIAL ADJOURNMENT ................................................................................................................................................... 787 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE .......................................................................................................................................... 788

Sosso, Mr J ........................................................................................................................................................ 788 Sosso, Mr J ........................................................................................................................................................ 788 Corrective Services ........................................................................................................................................... 789 Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games ................................... 790 Corrective Services ........................................................................................................................................... 790 Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games ................................... 791 Corrective Services ........................................................................................................................................... 792 Sosso, Mr J ........................................................................................................................................................ 792 Public Service .................................................................................................................................................... 793 HECS, Student Debt Reduction ........................................................................................................................ 794 Speaker’s Ruling, Question Out of Order ........................................................................................................ 794 Illicit Smoking Products .................................................................................................................................... 794 Gas Reserve Policy ........................................................................................................................................... 795 Regional Queensland, Health Infrastructure ................................................................................................... 795 Sosso, Mr J ........................................................................................................................................................ 796 Mon Repos Turtle Centre, Car Park .................................................................................................................. 797 Queensland Redistribution Commission, Appointment ................................................................................. 797 Transport Infrastructure .................................................................................................................................... 798

CORRECTIVE SERVICES (PAROLE BOARD) AMENDMENT BILL .................................................................................... 799 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 799

Tabled paper: Corrective Services (Parole Board) Amendment Bill 2025. ......................................... 799 Tabled paper: Corrective Services (Parole Board) Amendment Bill 2025, explanatory notes. ........... 799 Tabled paper: Corrective Services (Parole Board) Amendment Bill 2025, statement of compatibility with human rights. ........................................................................................................ 799

First Reading ..................................................................................................................................................... 801 Referral to Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee ................................................................... 802

HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION NATIONAL LAW AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL .................. 802 Second Reading ................................................................................................................................................ 802

PRIVATE MEMBERS’ STATEMENTS ................................................................................................................................... 817 Crisafulli LNP Government, Performance ........................................................................................................ 817 Western Queensland, Weather Events............................................................................................................. 817 Oxley Medicare Urgent Care Clinic; Crisafulli LNP Government, Performance ............................................ 818

Tabled paper: Media release, dated 20 March 2025, titled ‘Calls for permanent pill testing services amid opioid threat’. .............................................................................................................. 818

Western Queensland, Weather Events............................................................................................................. 819 Housing Supply ................................................................................................................................................. 819 Skilling Queenslanders for Work...................................................................................................................... 820 Yarrabilba, Health Services .............................................................................................................................. 821 Nanango Electorate ........................................................................................................................................... 821 Nuclear Energy .................................................................................................................................................. 822 Maroochydore Electorate .................................................................................................................................. 822 Newmarket State School ................................................................................................................................... 823 Western Queensland, Weather Events............................................................................................................. 823 Children, Hormone Therapy.............................................................................................................................. 824

Tabled paper: Bundle of correspondence relating to the receipt of gender-affirming care.................. 825 Burleigh Electorate, Community Safety ........................................................................................................... 825 Tourism Industry ............................................................................................................................................... 825 Hervey Bay Fire and Rescue Service ............................................................................................................... 826

Tabled paper: Extracts from the Queensland Budget 2024-25: Budget Capital Statement— Budget Paper No. 3. ......................................................................................................................... 826 Tabled paper: Flyer for the former member for Hervey Bay, Mr Adrian Tantari. ................................. 826 Tabled paper: Extract, dated 23 May 2024, from the Record of Proceedings, Queensland Parliament, of a speech by the former member for Hervey Bay, Mr Adrian Tantari, during the adjournment debate. ......................................................................................................................... 826

Youth .................................................................................................................................................................. 827 Pumicestone Electorate .................................................................................................................................... 827 Glencore, Copper Mine ..................................................................................................................................... 828 Run Army 2025 .................................................................................................................................................. 828

COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ............................................................................................................... 829 Portfolio Committees, Reporting Dates and Referral of Auditor-General’s Report ....................................... 829

HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION NATIONAL LAW AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL .................. 829 Second Reading ................................................................................................................................................ 829 Consideration in Detail...................................................................................................................................... 849

Clauses 1 to 28, as read, agreed to. ................................................................................................. 849 Third Reading .................................................................................................................................................... 849 Long Title ........................................................................................................................................................... 849

Table of Contents – Thursday, 3 April 2025

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY ........................................................................................................................................................... 849 Tabled paper: Extract from a media article, dated 28 October 2024, titled ‘Good riddance to Miles, but Crisafulli will need help’. ................................................................................................... 857 Tabled paper: Article from the Gold Coast Bulletin, dated 18 October 2024, titled ‘Labor “missing” in seat’............................................................................................................................... 857 Tabled paper: Media article, dated 14 October 2024, titled ‘Premier’s $1.4bn lunch cash splash could be better spent elsewhere’. ..................................................................................................... 857 Tabled paper: Letter, dated 23 October 2024, from the former deputy premier, treasurer and minister for trade and investment, Hon. Cameron Dick, to the Chief Executive Officer, AEIOU Foundation, Mr Alan Smith, regarding the AEIOU Foundation’s state election priorities. ................... 858 Tabled paper: Letter, dated 8 October 2024, from the former deputy premier, treasurer and minister for trade and investment, Hon. Cameron Dick, to the Chief Executive Officer, Angel Flight Australia, Ms Marjorie Pagani, regarding a joint proposal between Angel Flight and HeartKids for Indigenous Heart Health Australia. .............................................................................. 858 Tabled paper: Media article, dated 4 October 2024, titled ‘How former Queensland Labor minister Kate Jones secured key government meetings for her rich-lister boss’. ............................................ 858 Tabled paper: Article from the Australian, dated 11 October 2024, titled ‘Above the ministerial paygrade’. ........................................................................................................................................ 858

PRIVILEGE ........................................................................................................................................................................... 866 Correction to Record of Proceedings .............................................................................................................. 866

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY ........................................................................................................................................................... 866 ADJOURNMENT ................................................................................................................................................................... 881

Parkinson’s Disease, Really Big Walk ............................................................................................................. 881 Callide Electorate .............................................................................................................................................. 881 Woodridge Electorate, Transport Services ..................................................................................................... 882 Cyclone Alfred, Response; Victoria Point Sharks ........................................................................................... 882 Pool, Mr JE ........................................................................................................................................................ 883 Redland Hospital ............................................................................................................................................... 883 Narangba, School Bus Services ....................................................................................................................... 884 Southport Electorate ......................................................................................................................................... 885 Land Valuations ................................................................................................................................................ 885 Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 .......................................................................................................................... 886

ATTENDANCE ...................................................................................................................................................................... 886

3 Apr 2025 Legislative Assembly 777

THURSDAY, 3 APRIL 2025 ____________

The Legislative Assembly met at 9.30 am. Mr Speaker (Hon. Pat Weir, Condamine) read prayers and took the chair. Mr SPEAKER: Honourable members, I acknowledge the Aboriginal people and Torres Strait

Islander people of this state and their elders past, present and emerging. I also acknowledge the former members of this parliament who have participated in and nourished the democratic institutions of this state. Finally, I acknowledge the people of this state, whether they have been born here or have chosen to make this state their home and whom we represent to make laws and conduct other business for the peace, welfare and good government of this state.

PRIVILEGE

Unparliamentary Language, Withdrawal Mr SPEAKER: Honourable members, the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services at page

719 of yesterday’s Record of Proceedings used an unparliamentary word. I would ask you to now withdraw.

Mr NICHOLLS: Of course I withdraw, Mr Speaker.

Speaker’s Ruling, Alleged Deliberate Misleading of the House Mr SPEAKER: Honourable members, on 19 February 2025 the Minister for Health and

Ambulance Services wrote to me alleging that the Leader of the Opposition deliberately misled the House on 18 February 2025. The matter relates to a statement made by the member during matters of public interest. On 2 April 2025 the Leader of the Opposition retracted and apologised for the statement in the House during personal explanations. Therefore, I will not be referring the matter for further consideration of the House via the Ethics Committee. I table the correspondence in relation to this matter. Tabled paper: Correspondence relating to an alleged contempt and misleading of the House by the Leader of the Opposition and member for Murrumba [302].

I have circulated a ruling on this matter. I seek leave to incorporate the ruling. Is leave granted?

Leave granted. SPEAKER’S RULING—ALLEGED CONTEMPT OF PARLIAMENT

On 19 February 2025, the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services (minister) wrote to me alleging that the Leader of the Opposition deliberately misled the House on 18 February 2025.

The matter relates to a statement made by the member during Matters of Public Interest.

Specifically, the member stated:

‘More concerningly than the Crisafulli LNP government’s 100 days of duping Queensland is the list of things this government has prioritised that they never told us about… scrapping perinatal mental health beds for Queensland mums.’

The minister argued that this statement was deliberately misleading because the LNP plans to deliver 30 perinatal beds, including 8 in Townsville, and this is not a reduction from what the Opposition had pledged when they were in Government. This information was contained in a government media statement on 14 February 2025.

I sought further information from the Leader of the Opposition about the allegation made against him, in accordance with Standing Order 269(5).

The Leader of the Opposition submitted that the current government has scrapped the process that the former government had put in place to deliver the beds. However, there was no argument or evidence put forward that the number of beds had been reduced, or scrapped.

Standing Order 269(4) requires that in considering whether such a matter should be referred to the Ethics Committee, that I should take account of the degree of importance of the matter which has been raised and whether an adequate apology or explanation has been made in respect of the matter.

778 Privilege 3 Apr 2025

On 2 April 2025, the Leader of the Opposition retracted and apologised for the statement in the House, during personal explanations, and this is recorded at page 714 of the Record of Proceedings.

Therefore, I will not be referring the matter for the further consideration of the House via the Ethics Committee.

I would like to advise the House that I intend to take allegations of deliberately misleading very seriously in the 58th Parliament. Truth and integrity are pillars of a functioning democracy. Blatant and intentional mistruths in this House will not be tolerated. I will not hesitate to refer such matters immediately to the Ethics Committee.

I table the correspondence in relation to this matter.

Speaker’s Ruling, Alleged Deliberate Misleading of the House Mr SPEAKER: Honourable members, on 20 February 2025 the Minister for Health and

Ambulance Services wrote to me alleging that the member for Inala deliberately misled the House on 19 February 2025. On 2 April 2025 the member clarified, retracted and apologised for their statement in the House during personal explanations. Therefore, I will not be referring the matter for further consideration of the House via the Ethics Committee. I table the correspondence in relation to this matter. Tabled paper: Correspondence relating to an alleged contempt and misleading of the House by the member for Inala [303].

I have circulated a ruling on this matter. I seek leave to incorporate the ruling. Is leave granted?

Leave granted. SPEAKER’S RULING—ALLEGED CONTEMPT OF PARLIAMENT

On 20 February 2025, the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services (minister) wrote to me alleging that the member for Inala (member) deliberately misled the House on 19 February 2025.

The matter relates to a statement made by the member during Matters of Public Interest.

Specifically, the member stated:

‘Under Labor, MND Queensland would have received $600,000 per year for the next four years. Under the Crisafulli LNP government, guess what—this funding has been cut.’

The minister argued that this statement was deliberately misleading because while the former Government had made an election commitment regarding funding to MND Queensland, there was no actual funding in place for the LNP to cut.

I sought further information from the member about the allegation made against her, in accordance with Standing Order 269(5).

The member agreed that there was no funding in place, rather it was a funding commitment dependent on the former government’s re-election. She stated that a ‘funding opportunity’ had been cut, rather than funding itself.

Standing Order 269(4) requires that in considering whether such a matter should be referred to the Ethics Committee, that I should take account of the degree of importance of the matter which has been raised and whether an adequate apology or explanation has been made in respect of the matter.

I note that on 2 April 2025, the member clarified, retracted and apologised for their statement in the House during personal explanations, and this is recorded at page 714 of the Record of Proceedings.

Therefore, I will not be referring the matter for the further consideration of the House via the Ethics Committee.

I table the correspondence in relation to this matter.

Speaker’s Ruling, Alleged Deliberate Misleading of the House Mr SPEAKER: Honourable members, on 27 February 2025 the Minister for Health and

Ambulance Services wrote to me alleging that the member for Algester deliberately misled the House on 20 February 2025. The matter relates to a statement made by the member during the adjournment debate. I consider this to be a debate on policy with differing viewpoints which is both technical and trivial. Therefore, I will not be referring the matter for further consideration of the House via the Ethics Committee. I table the correspondence in relation to this matter. Tabled paper: Correspondence relating to an alleged contempt and misleading of the House by the member for Algester [304].

I have circulated a ruling on this matter. I seek leave to incorporate the ruling. Is leave granted? Leave granted.

SPEAKER’S RULING—ALLEGED CONTEMPT OF PARLIAMENT

On 27 February 2025, the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services (minister) wrote to me alleging that the member for Algester (member) deliberately misled the House on 20 February 2025.

The matter relates to a statement made by the member during the Adjournment Debate.

3 Apr 2025 Speaker’s Statements 779

Specifically, the member stated:

‘... Last month, without warning, the LNP Minister for Health ordered a blanket statewide halt on any new patients under 18 accessing health services related to gender therapy...’

The minister argued that this statement was deliberately misleading because the Queensland Government’s pause of hormone therapy for public patients under 18 did not apply to all gender therapies, such as psychiatric and psychological support, counselling and other clinically recommended medical interventions. It was also only applicable to public patients, not private providers.

I sought further information from the member about the allegation made against her, in accordance with Standing Order 269(5).

The member stated that when she used the term ‘gender therapy’ she was referring to hormone therapy.

Standing Order 269(4) requires that in considering whether such a matter should be referred to the Ethics Committee, that I should take account of the degree of importance of the matter which has been raised and whether an adequate apology or explanation has been made in respect of the matter.

This appears to be a matter of the kind originally described by Speaker Simpson on 16 October 2014 and expanded on by Speaker Pitt on 4 April 2022 when he stated: ‘The nature of political debate is that members engage in argument by discussing opposing viewpoints or different opinions, oftentimes using different expressions, statistics or methods of calculation.’

In this matter, both the minister and the member are referring to the same policy, albeit using different expressions. As such, I consider this matter is within the realm of being both technical and trivial.

Therefore, I will not be referring the matter for the further consideration of the House via the Ethics Committee.

I table the correspondence in relation to this matter.

SPEAKER’S STATEMENTS

Conduct of Members Mr SPEAKER: On 13 March 2025 I tabled an updated Code of Ethical Standards. One of the

updated parts was part 6, ‘Respect for persons’. That section states— Members should treat other members of Parliament, members of the public, officers and employees of the Parliamentary Service and other public officials with courtesy, honesty and fairness, and with proper regard for their rights, obligations, cultural differences, safety, health and welfare.

Members should not use abusive, obscene or threatening language (either oral or written) or behaviour towards any other member, officer, employee or member of the public.

I would ask all members to reflect upon that part of the code and their own conduct in this House and the precinct generally.

I also wish to remind members about respecting the authority of the chair. The Speaker’s authority—and that includes the authority of all deputy speakers—is derived from the House itself. All are ultimately responsible to the House. It is the duty of the Speaker and the deputy speakers to maintain order and uphold the rules of the House. It is the duty of each member to respect the decisions of the Speaker and the deputy speakers.

Order quickly dissolves if members believe that they always know better and start disrespecting the authority of the chair. Some members are disrespecting the authority of the chair—sometimes in subtle ways such as talking about consistency when raising points of order, the inference being that there is inconsistency. Others are making comments that are audible and obviously directed at the decisions of the chair. I would ask all members to check their behaviour and respect the authority of the chair.

Telford, Ms M Mr SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the departure of a long-time Parliamentary

Service staff member. One of the most experienced staff in the Committee Office, Margaret Telford started in 2004 as an executive assistant. From 2011 she has been progressively promoted to positions of assistant committee secretary and inquiry secretary. For the past few years, she has been acting as committee secretary. Most recently, she has been committee secretary to the Local Government, Small Business and Customer Service Committee.

She has received two meritorious service awards during her time here. Margaret has also more than ably led the delivery of the Committees@Work program for public servants in recent years. I am sure you will all join with me in thanking Margaret for her 21-year contribution to the Parliamentary Service and the Queensland parliament, and in wishing her all the best.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

780 Ministerial Statements 3 Apr 2025

Visitors to Public Gallery Mr SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise that we will be visited in the gallery this morning

by students and teachers from Project Skool—Homeschool Co-op—in the electorate of Logan, and Algester State School and Calamvale Community College in the electorate of Algester.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS

Regional Queensland Hon. DF CRISAFULLI (Broadwater—LNP) (Premier and Minister for Veterans) (9.36 am): I made

a promise to Queenslanders that this government will listen to the voices from all communities. We committed to Queenslanders from every part of the state that we would listen to what is important to them. Across the last few months we have travelled to many cities and towns across our great state. We have spoken with and, most importantly, we have listened to Queenslanders. We have listened to Queenslanders who no longer felt safe in their homes and families that have lost loved ones. We said we would work tirelessly to make sure people felt safe in their homes and in their communities.

All Queenslanders can be assured that this government will give the Queensland Police Service the resources that it needs. In Mount Isa I met police officers who tirelessly protect and serve their communities. I announced the new Queensland Police State Flying Squad will be deployed to high-risk areas, starting in Townsville and Cairns. In Hervey Bay, we set in motion the tender processes for the Regional Reset and Staying on Track programs. These programs are at the centre of our plan to reform and rehabilitate youth criminals, to turn the tide on Labor’s youth crime crisis. Just down the road in Maryborough, I was able to share with locals that we are delivering on our promise to upgrade the Bruce Highway and the dangerous Walker Street intersection.

In Toowoomba, Longreach and St George, I met local business owners. Small businesses are the heart of regional and rural communities. We want them spending more time servicing their customers—and that is why our government is removing red tape for small and family business. Last week in Rockhampton we announced we have secured funding to establish a new Academy for Health Sciences.

Sadly, many of the locals I have spoken to in recent months have been doing it tough, battling the impact of successive severe weather events. I spent time on the ground in Townsville, Ingham, Cardwell, Ayr, Giru, Hinchinbrook, Longreach, Quilpie and Winton, as well as so many suburbs across South-East Queensland in the lead-up to and after Cyclone Alfred. Hearing Queenslanders’ stories firsthand is critical in supporting them through the response and recovery.

Finally, last week we unveiled the 2032 Delivery Plan. Our plan will make the games bigger than Brisbane. Our plan will deliver generational infrastructure not just in Brisbane but in the regions too. As the local member will tell you, the Rockhampton community is so excited about what the games will bring to their town. Upgrades to the Rockhampton Ring Road will improve transport connectivity. The railyards rejuvenation precinct will be home to a new athletes village which will later be transformed into housing for Queenslanders. We will boost capacity at Barlow Park in Cairns, driving even more tourism opportunities and supporting community grassroots sport.

In Townsville we are focused on ensuring the city’s world-famous Strand waterfront is taken to the next level ahead of hosting the sailing. Mackay’s Harrup Park will be ready to host cricket on the world stage and train the next generation of local cricket legends. In Toowoomba, a major upgrade will transform the Toowoomba showgrounds into an Equestrian Centre of Excellence that will serve this proud community for generations to come. New mass transit all the way to the Sunshine Coast Airport will mean the region can open its doors to more tourists, more employment and more opportunities. Our plan builds for our future, ensuring regional communities continue to benefit for decades to come.

This leads me to an exciting announcement I can make today in the House. On 14 April we will hold our next offsite cabinet meeting in the vibrant Redlands. Four years ago we were hosted at our first offsite shadow cabinet meeting by the then Chamber of Commerce president. Today that person is the proud member for Redlands. It was during the election campaign that I was introduced to sporting groups like the Redlands Tigers, who had a strong advocate pushing for better facilities for female change rooms. That person is now the member for Oodgeroo. It was in that community I met a father grieving the tragic loss of his son, daughter-in-law and unborn grandson. That person is today the member for Capalaba. I am looking forward to engaging with that local community and sharing with them how this government is working tirelessly to deliver on priorities and opportunities for Queenslanders wherever they live in this great state.

3 Apr 2025 Ministerial Statements 781

Crisafulli LNP Government, Performance Hon. JP BLEIJIE (Kawana—LNP) (Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development,

Infrastructure and Planning and Minister for Industrial Relations) (9.41 am): The Crisafulli government is providing a fresh start for Queensland, ensuring workers have adequate protections and fair conditions in their employment, with safe workplaces a key focus of this new government. At the same time, we are unashamedly saying that we are open for business, with a long needed return to productivity delivering the infrastructure a growing state needs and providing well-paid jobs for all Queenslanders.

We have re-established the Productivity Commission, which was abolished by former Labor governments. We have abolished two Labor taxes in Queensland and we are putting workers ahead of the CFMEU every day of the week. This week in question time, I have heard a lot of debate and talk about respect at work, but what about the CFMEU’s 10-year protection racket by former Labor governments? If Labor wants to talk about respect at work, let’s talk about the CFMEU. We are sorting the CFMEU out.

Today, in further support for small businesses across Queensland I can announce that the average WorkCover premium paid by Queensland businesses for the 2025-26 financial year will be frozen at the existing rate. WorkCover’s board has recently endorsed that the average premium rate would be $1.343 per $100 of wages after discounts. That is no increase from the current financial year to next year. Under new WorkCover Queensland leadership appointed by this Crisafulli government, we will ensure a strong scheme that protects injured workers and provides business certainty. A strong scheme is vital to protect the interests of workers and employers across Queensland. A strong scheme will continue to support the more than 74,000 Queenslanders who are injured at work each year to access much needed care when they need it most and focus on their rehabilitation and return to work. Queensland is home to one of the lowest average premium rates of workers compensation insurance in Australia, and that is important.

A government member interjected. Mr BLEIJIE: Not because of the Labor Party, Minister. Mr SPEAKER: Comments will be directed through the chair. Mr BLEIJIE: I take the interjection, Mr Speaker. Stand by for a few more paragraphs; all will be

revealed. It is important to ensure we remain competitive to secure more investment and more jobs now and into the future. This decision represents certainty for Queensland businesses while maintaining a strong focus on supporting injured workers, helping them to return to work with dignity. During Labor’s last term, WorkCover Queensland’s average premium rate increased from $1.20 to $1.343 per $100 of wages after discounts. That is an almost 12 per cent increase in the last term under the former Labor government, increasing taxes on small business owners.

Employers can learn how their premium rate is calculated, how they can take steps to reduce their premium and how their claims performance compares to their industry at workcover.qld.gov.au. The Crisafulli government is focused on supporting employees and employers to get the best deal and workplaces to be as safe and productive as they can be to build the pipeline of infrastructure Queensland so desperately needs. Under the Crisafulli government Queensland is now well and truly open for business as we deliver certainty for employers while maintaining our strong focus on supporting injured workers.

Illicit Smoking Products Hon. TJ NICHOLLS (Clayfield—LNP) (Minister for Health and Ambulance Services) (9.45 am):

The growth in the availability and use of illicit tobacco and vapes in recent years has become a substantial public health issue here in Queensland. Across the state in our major cities and in our rural towns traders of illicit tobacco, vapes and other smoking products are openly and recklessly flouting our laws. These illegal traders were allowed to run rampant under the watch of the former Labor government. Hundreds of these stores were operating in plain sight under Labor. In fact, under those opposite there were no fines for illegal traders found to be stocking or selling illicit vapes—none at all. That meant our hardworking public health enforcement teams have been working with one hand tied behind their back. The consequence of Labor’s inaction is a tripling in vaping rates among Queensland high school students from 2017 to 2023—a shameful result laid bare in the most recent Chief Health Officer’s report tabled only 10 days ago.

782 Ministerial Statements 3 Apr 2025

The Crisafulli LNP government is striking back. We will hit those illegal operators where it hurts to disrupt their activities and put an end to their lawlessness. Today I can announce that we are hitting back harder than ever before with the nation’s toughest fines for the commercial possession and supply of illicit tobacco and vapes. Individuals now face on-the-spot fines of more than $32,000 for the supply of illicit tobacco and vaping goods, and corporations can be slapped with a fine of more than $161,000. The on-the-spot fine for the commercial possession of illicit tobacco or vaping goods will now be more than $16,000 for individuals and more than $80,000 for corporations. That is a tenfold increase in fines for the commercial supply of illicit tobacco and a fivefold increase for possession.

This is the first time that enforcement officers will be handed the power to issue on-the-spot fines for vaping goods. Given the increasing use of nicotine pouches, often referred to as zyns, they will also be subject to fines for the first time. These steep penalties can be issued as an alternative to court ordered penalties. This will reduce the burden on our court system and ensure that enforcement officers can act swiftly and effectively. However, where offences are still prosecuted through the courts, fines of up to $1.6 million and up to two years imprisonment can be imposed on retailers found to be supplying or possessing illegal tobacco or vapes.

I thank and acknowledge my good friend the Attorney-General for her role in ensuring these nation-leading fines become a reality. It just goes to show what can be done when a health minister and Attorney-General work together. We come from one faction: the faction that supports Queenslanders. Not like those over there, who do not know which faction they are in from week to week. It makes a difference to the health of Queenslanders.

We are making sure Queensland’s penalties correspond with the economic incentives of this illegal trade and provide an effective deterrent. These changes, which come into effect today, provide a clear warning to every retailer trading these products: if you think you can continue to illegally possess and sell illicit tobacco, vapes and nicotine pouches, think again. We are coming after you.

Parole Board Hon. LJ GERBER (Currumbin—LNP) (Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support and Minister

for Corrective Services) (9.49 am): The Crisafulli government made a pledge—to make Queensland safer, to act with integrity, to be accountable and to be honest with Queenslanders. We made a promise to Queenslanders to restore stability, integrity and accountability to the Parole Board. I am proud to be part of a government that is delivering on that promise.

The Parole Board play a vital role in the criminal justice system and in maintaining community safety. They have an enormous responsibility to make sure their decisions keep our community safe and to ensure that the board has strong leadership. Under the two former Labor ministers, the Parole Board had none of this. We have appointed Michael Woodford as the new President of Parole Board Queensland and I am confident that Mr Woodford is uniquely qualified to lead the board. The Crisafulli government made a promise to restore stability, integrity and accountability to the Parole Board and that is exactly what we are doing.

The Parole Board’s decisions have a direct impact on whether communities remain safe or are placed at risk. If a prisoner on parole in the community fails to comply with their parole order or presents a risk to community safety, it is the board’s responsibility to make a decision on whether to leave them in the community or return them to prison. Queenslanders need to have faith in the parole system; they need to have trust that their safety is not being compromised. Today we will be introducing a bill that gives the Parole Board the power to make decisions that protect community safety.

It has come to light that, where a single Parole Board member makes a decision to keep a parolee in the community after being asked by Queensland Corrective Services to consider revoking that prisoner’s parole because of the risk to community and returning them to custody, there is no safeguard in the legislation to protect the community. The requirement in the act that a full board convene to review the decision of a single Parole Board member to keep the community safe is not there. Labor put this safeguard in for prisoners when they introduced this legislation, but they fundamentally failed to give this safeguard to the community.

Today, I will be introducing a bill to correct that glaring failure. We will empower the board to review all decisions made by an individual board member, whether that be to suspend a prisoner’s parole and return them back to corrections or to leave them in the community, to protect the community. We will ensure a full multidisciplinary board can review these decisions. Our new laws mean greater scrutiny, better decision-making and, more importantly, safer communities. The question for those in opposition is: will they support this legislation that cleans up their mess? Will the former minister for

3 Apr 2025 Ministerial Statements 783

corrections, the member for Pine Rivers, support this legislation that corrects the glaring error in the Parole Board act and the glaring error in the Corrective Services Act, that fails to provide a safeguard to the community but provides that same safeguard to prisoners?

Federal Budget, GST Hon. DC JANETZKI (Toowoomba South—LNP) (Treasurer, Minister for Energy and Minister for

Home Ownership) (9.53 am): Last week the federal government unveiled its final budget ahead of the federal election, and there are clear implications for Queensland. The most glaring feature of the Albanese government’s hasty pre-election pitch is Queensland’s loss of more than $5 billion in GST revenue over the next three years. From next financial year, Queensland will lose $2.4 billion in GST revenue—the largest redistribution away from any state in history. Meanwhile, Victoria will be gifted an extra $4 billion and New South Wales an extra $1.3 billion. Outrageously, federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ cut to Queensland’s revenue comes as the national GST pool swells by more than $4.5 billion. At a time when Queenslanders face cost-of-living pressures, Jim Chalmers has stripped the state of essential funds.

Federal Treasury has estimated Cyclone Alfred would cost $1.2 billion to the economy and temporarily lower growth by up to 1.4 per cent of quarterly GDP. That means that Jim Chalmers’ GST cuts to Queensland next year would have the economic effect of two Tropical Cyclone Alfreds. No state should be subject to such a dramatic decrease. We have also revealed that in 2022 the former Labor government set aside $2½ billion as a contingency for any potential shrinking of the state’s share of the GST but have squandered it on renewables and hydrogen projects. They put it aside for a rainy day, but the rain has arrived and they have already spent the money.

The Commonwealth Grants Commission’s flawed review reflects the inadequacies of Australia’s current system of horizontal fiscal equalisation. Queensland should not be penalised because of our strong resources industry or our decentralised population. The rationalisation for the revenue distribution is feeble but its impacts are forceful. It severely compromises Queensland’s capacity to deliver essential services and infrastructure for our growing state, particularly after a decade of the former Labor government’s fiscal vandalism.

Despite the setback, the Crisafulli government will continue to advocate in Canberra for Queensland’s interests. Despite the disappointment, there were some elements to the federal budget that reflect the Crisafulli government’s strong advocacy in Canberra. We have succeeded in securing funding for Queensland communities impacted by natural disasters. Where the former Labor state government failed, we have successfully restored an 80-20 funding agreement for the Bruce Highway. While we welcome the planned $7.2 billion Commonwealth investment in the Bruce Highway, I note that the bulk of this funding seems to be largely beyond the forward estimates. Additionally, I call for this commitment to be isolated from being impacted further by GST adjustments.

The Crisafulli government has shown that, while we will hold Canberra to account as we fight for our fair share, those opposite will not. There has only been silence and weakness from those opposite. They have proven once again that they are only ever interested in politics and not the best interests of the Queensland people.

Trade and Investment Hon. RM BATES (Mudgeeraba—LNP) (Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and

Training) (9.56 am): After a decade of Labor’s neglect of our trading relationships, we are working hard to share the good news that under the Crisafulli LNP government Queensland is open for business. It is of course no secret that international investment in Queensland creates jobs for local Queenslanders and is critical to the long-term success of our economy. During my most recent trade mission to Singapore and India, I again saw firsthand how Queensland goods and services are held in very high regard by our international trade partners.

Our government is working to ensure Queensland businesses and our broader Queensland economy benefit from restored trade relationships and renewed confidence from our international partners. In Singapore I met with key investors like Keppel which are contributing to Queensland’s energy, waste management and infrastructure sectors. I also saw firsthand the contributions that Queensland companies are making to global research efforts, including visiting Icon’s Singapore cancer treatment centre and Avcair, which are based in Brisbane but have a hub in Singapore that services the growing fixed-wing air ambulance market.

784 Ministerial Statements 3 Apr 2025

In India—Queensland’s fourth largest goods export market—I again took every opportunity to reiterate that Queensland is open for business. I was particularly pleased to attend BioAsia 2025—one of the leading international life sciences and health tech events where I promoted Queensland’s capabilities in biopharmaceuticals, digital health, medical devices and advanced therapeutics. I was joined by numerous leading Queensland health tech and life sciences companies and research institutes, marking Queensland’s largest BioAsia showcase to date.

Of course it is not just the health sector where Queensland businesses are excelling. Queensland is also the beneficiary of strong international student enrolment numbers from India, with 20,981 enrolments over the last 12 months, as of November 2024.

I was also pleased to meet with a number of in-market representatives from Queensland universities and education institutions. In Mumbai, I met with some of India’s largest steel manufacturers, including Tata Steel and JSW Steel, which are also some of our state’s biggest buyers of metallurgical coal, because we on this side of the chamber are not ashamed to talk about coal. When Queensland exports coal—

An opposition member interjected. Mr Bleijie: You got him; you triggered him. He’s awake. Ms BATES: I did, yes. It does not take much. When Queensland coal exports to India total

approximately $12.8 billion, coal certainly is not a dirty word. Supported by Trade and Investment Queensland, this trade mission was pivotal in highlighting Queensland’s export and investment opportunities in two key markets, ensuring Queenslanders reap the benefits.

In these uncertain times, the importance of our state having diversified trade relationships cannot be underestimated. The tariffs implemented by the United States on aluminium and steel last month and the new 10 per cent tariffs on all Australian exports to the US announced by President Trump this morning are very disappointing. I note there are conflicting reports about the President’s remarks that beef imports to the US have been banned. Early advice is that this is not the case.

Our government will continue to work with exporters to assist them in diversifying and finding new markets. I acknowledge the early support flagged by the Australian government to help exporters identify and access alternative international markets. We are supporting Queensland businesses by encouraging globally competitive businesses to export, informing exporters of opportunities in new and emerging markets, providing tailored grant funding and strengthening our presence in new markets.

Unlike those opposite, we understand the importance of having strong, stable relationships with our trading partners. That is why our government will continue to take a ‘no surprises’ approach to all of our dealings in the trade and investment space.

Police Resources Hon. DG PURDIE (Ninderry—LNP) (Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (10.02 am):

The Crisafulli government is committed to backing our police and increasing police numbers. This has begun. We are supporting our police and giving them the laws and the resources they need.

Throughout the last term of government, we were repeatedly advised of the pressure our police were under in attracting recruits. At the same time, we were warned that, due to burnout and Labor’s lack of support to our police, the attrition rate was at record highs, imposing significant burdens to maintain police numbers. The impact of 10 years of neglect is obvious.

This government is embarking on a program to retain existing police and recruit new officers so that the police can continue to serve and protect their communities. I am pleased to advise that a further 53 police recruits are being inducted later today, including 37 former police officers from overseas, including from New Zealand, UK, USA, Germany, South Korea, Iran, China, Columbia and South Africa. Ten recruits are from policing families. One has a military background. All up, these recruits bring a total of 558 years of policing experience to the Queensland Police. These new officers will be sent to the four corners of the state to bolster existing numbers to ensure the restoration and maintenance of community safety.

I have had the privilege of attending a number of police graduation ceremonies since assuming this role, most recently in Townsville where 55 recruits graduated. Another in Brisbane was the largest graduation ceremony in 33 years, with 155 graduates. I met a lot of these recruits before they graduated as they assisted in disaster response work in both North Queensland and in South-East Queensland. I

3 Apr 2025 Ministerial Statements 785

could not have been more impressed by their professionalism and enthusiasm as they combatted trying conditions to help Queenslanders in need. These recruits are the start of a pipeline that will see hundreds more reinforce the police front line and help deliver on our commitment to make the community safe.

As at the end of February, there were 2,139 applicants seeking entry to the police. This includes 1,704 standard applicants, 221 international applicants and 214 applicants with previous policing experience from Australia and New Zealand.

I can reassure these applicants and all our current police that we will support our officers. We will provide them with the resources they need to do their job and we will back that up with the laws they require.

Sporting Infrastructure Hon. TL MANDER (Everton—LNP) (Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic

and Paralympic Games) (10.04 am): Last week was a very exciting week as we launched our 2032 Delivery Plan for the games that will be held in Brisbane and right across the state. Of course, there were some grand announcements, including the big announcement about a new stadium at Victoria Park which will end up being the third largest stadium in Australia. The national aquatics centre at Centenary Pool will be the greatest aquatics centre in the world. The upgrade of the Queensland Tennis Centre at Tennyson will be the best centre outside of Melbourne. Infrastructure program after infrastructure program was announced.

The other thing we cannot neglect is the fact that there will be a record investment in our community sporting organisations through our Games On! Program because we want to make sure that not only our young people but also everybody involved with sport has the best facilities so we can encourage them to participate and, of course, dream about what might be possible for them in 2032. There is announcement after announcement. There are 150 of them so I do not have time to mention them all now, but I will announce a few.

At Redcliffe—$150,000 for the Redcliffe Dolphins Soccer Club. In Pumicestone—$170,000 to resurface the netball courts at the Bribie Island Netball Club. At Caloundra—a million dollars for lighting for four Caloundra sports club, including the Caloundra Senior Rugby League Club, the Pelican Waters Bowls Club, Baringa Football Club and Caloundra Rugby Union Club. Of course, there is funding not just for government seats but for seats right across the state. The LNP makes commitments for seats we do not currently hold. The Nerang Roosters will get $600,000 for new facilities at Gaven. The Bundaberg Netball Association will get $620,000 to upgrade facilities. The Centenary Stormers Football Club at Mount Ommaney will get $300,000 for lighting upgrades. Everybody across the state will benefit from Games On!

Unlike those opposite when they were in government, we will fulfil every promise. I did a quick check with the department last week. There are still 15 unfulfilled promises from Labor’s 2020 commitments with regard to sporting facilities. I do want to highlight one of them: female dressing rooms at the Souths Rugby Union Club in the electorate of Miller. That cannot be delivered. Why? ‘Insufficient funds’. The member for Miller has the temerity to write to me about a commitment that we have made to the same club for $1 million to upgrade the clubhouse because he knows the only way his commitment will be fulfilled is by the LNP committing to it.

We are committed to upgrading the facilities for sporting groups in our state. The previous government was neglectful. There is no greater example than a letter I recently received from the member for Bundamba who is looking for money for a clubhouse at the Dinmore Bushrats Soccer and Sports Club. Unfortunately, they have been without a clubhouse since their previous clubhouse was subject to an arson attack, and the club has continued to operate for years—for years—out of containers and sheds. They have not had a proper clubhouse facility to call home even as their enrolments have continued to grow season after season. I encourage the Dinmore Bushrats to wait for the next Games On! funding because what those opposite would not deliver, we will.

Fire Ants Hon. AJ PERRETT (Gympie—LNP) (Minister for Primary Industries) (10.08 am): Last Monday,

the Crisafulli government announced a record $24 million in additional funding for aerial fire ant treatment of heavily infested areas within the Logan, Ipswich, Scenic Rim, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Redland local government areas. This brings the total funding of the Queensland Fire Ants Suppression

786 Ministerial Statements 3 Apr 2025

Taskforce to $61 million. Our commitment is in addition to the national cost shared program. It will treat 200,000 hectares. Modelling indicates this additional investment could reduce the number of fire ant colonies in treated areas by up to 80 per cent.

I cannot overstate the importance of working on the suppression area to stop the spread. It makes common sense. Last August a federal Senate inquiry report recommended— ... the Australian Government work with the Queensland Government to urgently review the funding and outcomes of the Fire Ant Suppression Taskforce (FAST), with a particular focus on increasing FAST activities in areas not receiving any eradication or suppression activity ... to commit to additional funding.

In January, I wrote to the federal government requesting 50 per cent funding to implement this targeted aerial suppression. The request was made in good faith. There was no media fanfare. Disappointingly, I still have not received a response from Minister Collins. The Invasive Species Council has also been fighting for increased suppression funding. I thank Reece Pianta for supporting the Crisafulli government in delivering this vital investment. Mr Pianta said— This is important leadership and action from Premier Crisafulli and Agricultural Minister Perrett ... They have understood that current levels of suppression funding have been woefully inadequate and are stepping up to protect Australia from fire ants. This announcement ... shows the new Queensland government is listening and has clearly prioritised the fire ant threat.

I urge federal Minister Collins to act. The Crisafulli government is serious about eradicating fire ants. They pose a serious threat to agriculture, tourism, the environment and our way of life and they threaten people’s health and harm pets. An uncontrolled spread is estimated to cost billions. I have met with the Nursery and Garden Industry. I have been onsite with many nurseries and turf farmers. I have seen the impact firsthand, with interstate restrictions placed on hay growers, nurseries and our turf farmers. Fire ant detection and outbreaks seriously impact businesses and their ability to trade. Taking action is vital. We must be vigilant.

The generosity being shown to those impacted by the Western Queensland floods embodies what it is to be a Queenslander. I have become aware of concerns that someone was turned away by a charity from donating hay which may have been sourced from the exclusion zone. We appreciate Queenslanders’ effort and passion—this has to be commended—however, we must uphold our strong biosecurity guidelines at all times. Western Queensland does not need the inadvertent spread of fire ants to the region.

Between 2019 and 2023, three independent reports were scathing about the former government’s lack of progress, mismanagement of programs, funding shortfalls and KPI failures. One found— The inadequacy of funding and subsequent loss of momentum in implementing previous review recommendations between 2015 and 2018 set RIFA eradication back some years.

There were 72 recommendations across three reports. The former government never fully implemented or accepted the recommendations. It set Queensland back in the fight against fire ants. Queenslanders can be confident that we are absolutely serious about dealing with biosecurity matters like fire ants. We are tackling it head-on. We are doing what we said we would do.

Community Clubs Hon. DK FRECKLINGTON (Nanango—LNP) (Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and

Minister for Integrity) (10.12 am): I am pleased to announce today that the Crisafulli government has delivered on an election commitment to support the sustainability of Queensland’s club industry. Community clubs are a meeting place for Queenslanders. In regional communities in particular, they are the heart of our regional towns. Just last week I popped into the Waves Sports Club. The member for Burnett is a massive supporter of the Waves, which took out the award for large club of the year. It was great to once again catch up with Tony Castro there. It is a great community club that donates more than $1.5 million each year to local community groups, sporting clubs and schools.

Before the election we committed to making sensible changes to support the sustainability of small community clubs. Following a regulatory change, clubs which are licensed to operate multiple premises will now be permitted to increase gaming machines across their sites without any alteration to the government’s statewide cap on gaming machines. This provides an option for smaller clubs that might be struggling to survive in a tough operating environment so that these venues and services are not lost to the community.

3 Apr 2025 Special Adjournment 787

Previously, the Commissioner for Liquor and Gaming could approve up to 500 gaming machines for licensed clubs with more than two premises. The new regulation increases this to 700 gaming machines, as per our election commitment. For clubs with two premises, the maximum will increase to 600 gaming machines, up from the current number of 450. Key restrictions will continue to apply. For example, there will be no increase to the current limit of 300 gaming machines for any single club premises and there will be no increase to the current statewide cap for gaming machine entitlements across the Queensland club industry, which is not at capacity.

Sadly, many Queensland clubs have been struggling, with an average of 12 community clubs shutting down each year over the past decade. This commitment has been informed by feedback from key stakeholders including Clubs Queensland. In particular I would like to thank CEO Kelly Egan and the RSL & Services Clubs Association. This will provide an incentive for larger and more experienced clubs to step in and save those small operators and to preserve club facilities for local communities. I look forward to getting out and about and visiting more of our local clubs across the state in the coming months.

Weather Events, Small and Family Business Hon. SJ MINNIKIN (Chatsworth—LNP) (Minister for Customer Services and Open Data and

Minister for Small and Family Business) (10.15 am): The impacts of the North Queensland floods, ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred and the current Western Queensland floods continue to have a major impact on Queensland small and family businesses. The task of preparing communities and protecting lives is obviously the first priority, followed by restoring critical infrastructure and returning some normality to those communities. Now is the time to support those small and family businesses that were impacted by rain, flooding and damage caused by wind to get back on their feet and to get Queenslanders back to work.

I am pleased to advise that recovery grants are available for eligible small businesses impacted by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Grants of up to $25,000 are available to fund clean-up and immediate recovery needs for the return to operations. Grants have been activated across 16 local government areas from Bundaberg to the Gold Coast and west to Toowoomba. To give an idea of the scale, that area is home to more than three-quarters of Queensland’s small and family businesses. Our business concierge teams continue to work with small businesses through the community recovery hubs across affected regions. Those grants are available through business.qld.gov.au.

I recently had the opportunity to return to North Queensland and visit some of the worst affected areas. Most small and family businesses across the flood impacted areas of North Queensland are back open and trading two months after the devastating floods. However, I stress that the work has only just begun. The small business owners I met across Cardwell and Mission Beach continue to need the support of Queenslanders, and we are giving that support in record time. We have doubled the recovery assistance funding from $25,000 to $50,000, in conjunction with the federal government. We have received almost 250 grant applications across small business, primary industry and the not-for-profit sector.

The Crisafulli government, in conjunction with the federal government, recently approved another $26 million for the Small Business and Tourism Recovery Support Package which will include financial assistance for operators who lost income after being cut off. I thank the State Recovery Coordinator, Andrew Cripps, and the Deputy Disaster Recovery Coordinator, Acting Superintendent Paul Algie, for their efforts across the north, in addition to local businesses and local government leaders.

As I said during the last sittings of parliament, the process of delivering financial support for disaster recovery has not changed under the Crisafulli government. We work with the federal government in a respectful, methodical way and we get the outcomes Queenslanders need. We promised no daylight between response and recovery, and it is pleasing to see that a significant amount of work has already been undertaken to get many small and family businesses back on their feet. I would urge all Queenslanders to get out and spend locally. With the support of the Crisafulli government, our Queensland small and family businesses can recover even quicker.

SPECIAL ADJOURNMENT Dr ROWAN (Moggill—LNP) (Leader of the House) (10.18 am), by leave, without notice: I move—

That the House, at its rising, do adjourn until 9.30 am on Tuesday, 29 April 2025.

Question put—That the motion be agreed to. Motion agreed to.

788 Questions Without Notice 3 Apr 2025

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Mr SPEAKER: Question time will conclude at 11.19 am.

Sosso, Mr J Mr MILES (10.19 am): My question is to the Minister for Integrity. John Sosso was a member of

the LNP and, as the Deputy Premier disclosed last night, before that he was also a member of the ALP. Will the Attorney-General concede that membership of any political party should exclude a person from the independent Queensland Redistribution Commission?

Honourable members interjected. Mr SPEAKER: I will hear questions in silence. Honourable members interjected. Mr SPEAKER: I will not go to the Attorney-General for a response until I have silence. Mrs FRECKLINGTON: Given the number of appointments that the Labor Party have made—

actually, I have even more paper in here; I could get another list. No, I will save it. I do want to address something that the Leader of the Opposition got incorrect in his question. Mr Sosso is not a member of the Liberal National Party. What we are seeing here is a director-general of high standing being besmirched by those opposite. Are they serious? He served for decades and decades under governments of all persuasions, not just in Queensland but in the Commonwealth as well. He served— and I said it last night—2,268 days for which government? That is right, the Goss government. What was he doing? He ended up being the deputy director-general of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet under which Premier? It was Goss, and what was Goss’s legacy?

Mr Miles: What do you think Goss would say about it? Mr SPEAKER: Order! Member for Murrumba. Mrs FRECKLINGTON: I will take that interjection because I believe that Mr Goss would say,

‘Thank you, Mr Sosso, for that number of years.’ Mr Goss, whom I met, was a decent human being, something that the Leader of the Opposition would not know about and we hear ‘integrity’ coming out of that man’s mouth. This is the reason we had to have the Coaldrake review: the Palaszczuk-Miles government trashed the integrity of the Public Service. That is what they did. They appointed Mike Kaiser as the head of DPC. They appointed Rachel Hunter. They hid all of the appointments to the electoral redistribution commission—Liza Carroll and Rachel Hunter—and now they dare to besmirch John Sosso.

Mr Nicholls: Frankie Carroll. Mrs FRECKLINGTON: What about Frankie Carroll? The list could go on. Let’s remember that

John Sosso worked under Goss in reforming the Electoral Act. Are they kidding? This is a public servant who deserves our thanks. He deserves the Labor Party’s thanks, unlike that grub over there. Get out of the gutter.

Mr SPEAKER: Before I go to the member for Gaven, I expect better behaviour than that. I read a statement this morning.

Mrs FRECKLINGTON: I withdraw.

Sosso, Mr J Ms SCANLON: My question is to the Attorney-General and Minister for Integrity. Did Deputy

Premier Jarrod Bleijie suggest that the Attorney-General appoint his hand-picked director-general, John Sosso, to the Redistribution Commission?

Mrs FRECKLINGTON: Mr Speaker, it is so nice to get a question— Ms Farmer: Yes or no? Mrs FRECKLINGTON: No, but can I go on? The shadow attorney-general, who has zero control

over what it is she is doing, could not even work out where she was going to be on Making Queensland Safer or Adult Crime, Adult Time; she took it to shadow cabinet. What did she do?

3 Apr 2025 Questions Without Notice 789

Mr SPEAKER: Direct your comments through the chair, please. Mrs FRECKLINGTON: She continues to undermine everyone. The backbench are talking about

it. We know that there is one job that the shadow attorney-general wants and that is the job of the Leader of the Opposition. Let’s talk about—

A government member: Selection panels. Mrs FRECKLINGTON: Where should we go with selection panels? What the opposition need to

realise is there is a thing called corporate history. They should go back and have a look.

Ms Fentiman interjected. Mrs FRECKLINGTON: I take the interjection from former deputy premier Trad’s best friend, the

shadow treasurer. Let’s have a look at some of the conversations they had. Let’s go to that CCC report. I cannot believe the shadow treasurer when she was attorney-general—

Ms Farmer interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Member for Bulimba. Mrs FRECKLINGTON:—trashed the appointments process. It was written up time and time

again; they completely trashed the process and integrity. Let’s remember all of these people who were ministers of the Palaszczuk-Miles government trashed the integrity of the Public Service. They do not respect public servants and we do not understand why that is the case.

I say to the shadow attorney-general the answer is no, and I am more than happy to stand by that appointment. Mr John Sosso, who works as the director-general of the Deputy Premier’s department, is a man of integrity. He is a man who has worked for both sides of government and for both the Commonwealth and the state. Seriously, the opposition leader should get out of the gutter. Remember Mike Kaiser.

These guys have a hide to come in here and talk to us. Let’s remember the Coaldrake review, and what did the former premier say, backed by the then deputy premier and now opposition leader? It is actually embarrassing. They have trashed the integrity of executive government. They trashed the reputation of public servants. They need to get out of the gutter.

Ms Farmer interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Member for Bulimba, I did caution you. You are now warned under the standing

orders. You continued to interject.

Corrective Services Mrs POOLE: My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier inform the House on the importance

corrective services plays in maintaining community safety and is the Premier aware of any alternatives?

Mr CRISAFULLI: I want to thank the member for Mundingburra for her question. It is a good question because she has spent her life protecting her community and she knows how important good corrective services are in that process, and I want to get on to that. Whilst I am very glad to get the question, I do sincerely hope that the minister also has an opportunity to speak further today because in her ministerial statement she outlined a major governance failure.

The minister was very diplomatic in her words, but the truth is it could be called the ‘Pine Rivers prisoner protection polish-up bill’ because what we have seen is a huge failure of governance, a lack of detail, a lack of attention to detail and in the end a system that has prioritised prisoners over people. That has been a common theme from those opposite for a long period.

When we look at every change that has been made to the Youth Justice Act, if we look at the failure to do things right when a young person is in custody, we understand why it is that there has been such a failure and why there has been such a massive youth crime crisis where all the numbers have gone in one direction for the last decade.

The member asked me about the importance of good detention facilities and good programs and services in them. If you do not get right the way a person is detained, you will never get right their rehabilitation and release. When I look at numbers that say Queensland now has a 94 per cent repeat offender rate for a young person within 12 months of being released from detention, we know how

790 Questions Without Notice 3 Apr 2025

broken the system is, which is why we speak of rehabilitation with purpose. When a young person is within a corrective services facility they must be educated, and that analysis has not been done over recent years. According to the very small level of analysis that there has been, they are doing a handful of hours a day in education. How can a young person turn their life around when that occurs?

In terms of sentencing options, there has been a lack of ability for different forms of detention, like our Circuit Breaker Sentencing that we are speaking about. The lack of attention to detail and rolling out of those programs means that that has not occurred. If we think about what good laws can do to send a message and what good detention can do to rehabilitate, we will have the first steps towards healing Labor’s youth crime crisis. It is deep, it is embedded and it has been 10 years in the making, but we must address it at both ends of the spectrum: stronger laws to send a message, more police to enforce them and the ability to make sure that when young people are detained they are educated and when they are released they are supervised to protect our community.

Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Mr DICK: My question is to the Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Australian

has reported that government sources suggest the minister was left out of a meeting relating to the Olympics because he was spotted talking to a journalist. Was the Minister for Olympic and Paralympic Games excluded from meetings or discussions the Premier and Deputy Premier had on matters within the minister’s own portfolio?

Mr MANDER: I thank the member for the question. It is great to see that we are talking about the important affairs of state again on the Thursday of a parliamentary sitting week. What a wonderful opportunity to talk about my very close friendship with the Deputy Premier. We spent two terms sitting next to each other, enjoying each other’s company and having a little bit of a laugh every now and then about those opposite us. In fact, I am suffering a little bit from separation anxiety being this far away from him at the moment. Some people have described our relationship as a bromance. I would not quite go that far, but we are very close. However, I will tell the House that we have disagreements occasionally. He was very upset with me, knowing that I am a republican and he is a monarchist, when I hid the King Charles posters he was distributing around the office. He was very upset with me for a couple of days. We also have a bit of a disagreement about fashion sense: he is a kerchief man and I am not, but he is very envious about the suit I am wearing at the moment. This is one of my best and I know that he is very envious about that.

Mr de BRENNI: Mr Speaker, I rise to a point of order. This is very entertaining but entirely irrelevant. My point of order relates to standing order 118(b), relevance. I would ask you to instruct the minister to answer the question.

Mr SPEAKER: Minister, you heard the question. Mr MANDER: I actually cannot remember what the question was, but anyhow. Mr SPEAKER: It was about a— Honourable members interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! Mr MANDER: The relationship that we on this side have with regard to the Olympic and

Paralympic Games is so tight and we have worked closely in putting together this delivery plan, which all of Queensland has embraced. Not only have we worked closely together in the past; we will work closely together—hopefully, if the good people of Queensland give us the opportunity—right through to the games to make this a games we are all proud of. However, let’s talk about the contrast. Let’s talk about the Labor Olympic canoe, which is leaking. It is rowing in the wrong direction and has various coxswain yelling out, ‘We want Victoria Park’, ‘We want the Gabba’, ‘We want QSAC’. Put your hand up if you agree with QSAC. None! Last week we brought down a delivery plan which all Queenslanders are proud of.

(Time expired)

Corrective Services Mr McDONALD: My question is to the Minister for Corrective Services. Can the minister update

the House on how the Crisafulli LNP government is reforming the corrective services system, and is the minister aware of any differing approaches?

3 Apr 2025 Questions Without Notice 791

Mrs GERBER: I thank the member for Lockyer for his question. I know that he has a keen interest in our correctional system. As a former police officer, he is very dedicated to community safety. I can update the House that this week we are introducing a bill to clean up Labor’s mess in relation to the Parole Board, because guess what? When Labor introduced some legislation in relation to the Parole Board, it put in a safeguard in terms of the rights of a prisoner. When a single Parole Board member makes a decision to return a prisoner to custody, the full Parole Board has to convene to review that decision to ensure it was the right decision—that is, to ensure a prisoner’s parole being cancelled was the right decision. Guess what those opposite forgot to do? They forgot to ensure there was a safeguard for the community. That is, when a single Parole Board member makes a decision to keep the prisoner in the community, the Parole Board has no power to review that decision to ensure it was the correct decision in terms of whether that prisoner should be in the community or whether that prisoner should be returned to prison for the safety of the community. Those opposite protected the rights of prisoners but failed to protect the rights of our community. That was the form of the former Labor government throughout the course of the last 10 years.

Let us look at how we got here, because it is really important. The member for Pine Rivers was the corrective services minister who rushed through legislation because she had not properly appointed the board members. She then left the board with no president, because the Parole Board president had to resign over allegations he misused travel allowances. Those allegations were aired in estimates. The then deputy opposition leader and now Deputy Premier said— ... if I may, are you aware of any allegations of inappropriate use of allowances or travel allowances or any allegations made against the Parole Board former president involving a close friendship or association he may have had with someone in the department or the Parole Board?

Do members think the former minister for corrective services could answer that question? Do members think she could give a straight answer? No, she could not. But then, guess what? Three days later she had to table a document in this parliament in which she said— I have been reminded that I did know about certain allegations about the Parole Board president.

That is the form of the previous Labor government. That is why the Crisafulli government needs to bring in legislation to clean up its mess.

Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Ms GRACE: My question is to the Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The

Australian has reported that government sources suggest the minister was left out of decisions relating to the Olympics because he was spotted talking to journalists. Did the minister leak games plans to 9News or was he the Deputy Premier’s decoy for the Deputy Premier’s own leaking?

Mr MANDER: This time let us begin with the question first: no and no. They are the two answers the member requires. It is amazing that the shadow minister herself would bring up the types of things the Labor Party is so used to doing itself.

Ms Grace interjected. Mr MANDER: We still do not know where those opposite stand with the games. Ms Grace interjected. Mr MANDER: They dithered, they dallied for 400 days— A government member: 1,300 days. Mr MANDER: 1,300 days. We all know the history of that. Ms Grace interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Member for McConnel, you are now warned. Mr MANDER: It brought down a premier. Former premier Palaszczuk is gone because of the

wild ideas she had about the Gabba and then about the RNA—‘Not only are you going to have to go to the RNA but you’re going to have to pay for it’—which would have displaced two of our major sporting codes for four or five years. That tipped that boat over, and then the current opposition leader, who was then the premier, came up with probably the stupidest idea ever imagined about the games being held at QSAC. No-one supported that idea except him.

Mr Mickelberg: Did he support it last night?

792 Questions Without Notice 3 Apr 2025

Mr MANDER: I will take that interjection from the member for Buderim. Last night they had the opportunity, during the motion on the Olympics, to come up with a motion that went against us, and they put up some silly little thing which was of no relevance. They are now driven to the place where they cannot do anything but accept the recommendations that we have made because they are so popular—not just here in Brisbane but also right across the state.

We are the most decentralised state in the Commonwealth. We want to recognise that our regions are important. Not only do we want them to embrace the games; we want them to taste and see for themselves. That is what will happen in Cairns, in Townsville, in Mackay, in the Whitsundays, in Rockhampton, in Maryborough, in Toowoomba, down the coast, up on the Sunshine Coast and here in Brisbane. This is a games not only for Brisbane but also for all of Queensland. We cannot wait to put on the greatest show on earth, which is what it will be in 7½ years. Those on that side do not know what they believe. Does the shadow minister for the Olympics support Victoria Park? She does not!

Mr SPEAKER: Direct your comments through the chair, Minister. Mr MANDER: Is the shake of the head an interjection? The shadow minister has admitted here

that she does not support Victoria Park. What about the member for Maiwar? (Time expired) Mr SPEAKER: I remind members to address their comments through the chair.

Corrective Services Mr HUNT: My question is to the Minister for Corrective Services. Will the minister update the

House on how the Crisafulli LNP government is bolstering corrective services across Queensland, and is the minister aware of any alternative approaches?

Mrs GERBER: I thank the member for Nicklin for the question. He is another respected former police officer in this House who has dedicated his life to the protection of our communities and understands how important it is that we bolster corrective services. I can update the House that the Crisafulli government will deliver the infrastructure needed. We will deliver the Lockyer Valley correctional centre to keep our communities safe. The Crisafulli government is also bolstering our corrective services workforce. Tomorrow I will be attending one of the largest graduations ever conducted—146 graduates. These 146 fresh-faced corrective services officers are ready to serve our communities and keep us safe. These graduates play a vital role in protecting the community and ensuring the safety of Queenslanders.

We are also bolstering corrective services with strong new laws like the Parole Board bill that we are introducing into this House today. Let us talk about why we need this bill. During estimates the former corrections minister was unable to answer questions in relation to allegations of inappropriate conduct of the then Parole Board president. It gets worse than that. In what can only be described as an absolutely disgraceful abuse of public trust, the office of the former corrective services minister negotiated a resignation date that gave that board president a judicial pension bonus of $30,000 more— and he was entitled to that for life. That is a complete disgrace.

Those opposite have never had to answer for the chaos and crisis that they reigned over when it came to the Parole Board. What happened under Labor’s watch? They have never fronted the media to answer those questions. What was the involvement of the member for Pine Rivers? She has never answered those questions. She came into estimates and said one thing and then had to come into this parliament and say a different thing. I ask those opposite what the member’s involvement was in those Parole Board decisions; what was her involvement with the former Parole Board president; and with the CCC investigation that we have now seen on the news? What was that member’s involvement? Will the member front up to Queenslanders or will Labor keep hiding the truth in relation to the Parole Board?

(Time expired)

Sosso, Mr J Mr MILES: My question is to the Premier. Today the Courier-Mail said, in relation to the proposed

appointment of John Sosso to the Queensland Redistribution Commission, that there is no room in Fitzgerald’s model for ‘anybody who might be perceived as being aligned with the executive branch’. Does the Premier agree with the Courier-Mail and will the Premier ensure that appointments to the Queensland Redistribution Commission are not just impartial but also perceived to be impartial?

3 Apr 2025 Questions Without Notice 793

Mr CRISAFULLI: I thank the honourable member for the question. It is the second day of the theme of demeaning, belittling and compromising a great Queensland Public Service. I will explain why. The Attorney has quite eloquently articulated Mr Sosso’s career, but I do want to get to the heart of one of the things the Attorney said. After Fitzgerald, in anyone’s imagination, does anyone believe that a person of the integrity of Mr Goss would allow such a person in his Public Service for over six years? After all that occurred, does anyone believe that Mr Goss, a person who staked his political career on integrity, would do that? Mr Sosso has served his state and his country for over four decades and he has not been a member of a political party for that time.

Mr Power interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Member for Logan, you are warned. Mr CRISAFULLI: I note in his much younger days he had an interest in a variety of political

movements—some which I look at and think are questionable. Mr Sosso has been an independent public servant all of his adult life. He has turned up all of his life. I want to explain the difference between how we conducted ourselves in opposition and how those opposite do now. There were two occasions on which there was a redistribution commission set up and on both of those occasions the formula was the following: an electoral commissioner, a retired judge and a public servant.

Ms Fentiman: But not once we went to members of a political party. Mr CRISAFULLI: I am going to take the interjection. On one occasion it was Rachel Hunter, on

the other it was Liza Carroll, and on both occasions the then opposition did not question those choices—

Mr Miles: Because they weren’t questionable. Mr CRISAFULLI: I have to take the interjection from the current Leader of the Opposition. The

reason is that both of those people predominantly served Labor governments. They were public servants. Mr Sosso is someone who has served both sides of politics. He is independent, he is impartial, and he is someone who, until this week, has never been besmirched in this way. Sadly for Queenslanders, it shows more about the now opposition than it does the Public Service. I say to every public servant in Queensland: we value you.

(Time expired)

Public Service Mr HEAD: My question is to the Deputy Premier and Minister for Industrial Relations. Can the

Deputy Premier advise how the Crisafulli government is an employer of choice for public servants with a clear focus on respecting taxpayers money, and is the Deputy Premier aware of any alternative approaches?

Mr BLEIJIE: I will start with the alternative approaches. Not until today have I seen such besmirching of an esteemed public servant by the Labor Party. As the Premier said, it just shows the grubby tactics of the opposition leader. That is why Queenslanders rejected them in October last year and they will continue to do so. One of the government’s firm commitments, and my commitment as the Minister for Industrial Relations, is to ensure the Queensland government is an employer of choice, particularly for our hardworking corrections staff. Apart from being an employer of choice for corrections staff, we now have a minister who backs our corrections staff and does not put her political future ahead of the day-to-day operations of Corrective Services.

The current Minister for Corrective Services has rightly pointed out the history of the controversy with the former minister for corrections, the member for Pine Rivers. What a sorry saga that is. On 29 July last year, I referred the former minister to the Crime and Corruption Commission. To my amazement, only a couple of nights ago on Channel 9 I saw that the CCC have now raided the homes and offices of Parole Board members. That could be because of the referral I made about the former minister. This is a question of leadership. What does the opposition leader know about this possible CCC investigation? Has he asked the member for Pine Rivers, his shadow minister, about the CCC investigation? Has he ascertained whether she has a case to answer on the controversy around the Parole Board former president? I bet he has not, because he knows that his job is on the line. His leadership is on the line.

The Leader of the Opposition wants to ask about the Courier-Mail. I want to talk about the Courier-Mail, too. At the moment they have a poll about the Labor leadership, and I want to talk about that poll. It asks: who should lead Queensland Labor? The results are: Mr Miles, seven per cent;

794 Questions Without Notice 3 Apr 2025

Ms Fentiman, 12 per cent; Mr Dick, seven per cent; and ‘Other/don’t care’, 74 per cent. I have a disclosure to make: I voted on that Courier-Mail poll. I voted for the honourable opposition leader to stay where he is, because the best thing for us is for him to stay.

I have just heard that the member for McConnel, the shadow minister for the games, confirmed that she does not support Victoria Park. She is now on the record confirming that she does not support the games plan for Victoria Park. That goes against how her leader voted yesterday, which was to back our games plan. Her gesticular interjection taken by the Minister for Sport means that she is now on the record as not supporting the Victoria Park plan. Which is it? Failed Leader of the Opposition, it is time to go.

(Time expired)

HECS, Student Debt Reduction Ms LINARD: My question is to the Minister for Youth. The Labor Prime Minister has announced

a plan to cut HECS debt by 20 per cent for young Queenslanders. Will the minister advocate for young Queenslanders to ensure this announcement receives bipartisan support by the federal LNP opposition?

Dr ROWAN: Mr Speaker, I rise to a point of order. I seek your clarity and guidance in relation to elements of that question that relate to federal portfolio matters and are not directly under the auspices of the Minister for Youth here in Queensland.

Mr de BRENNI: Mr Speaker, to aid in your consideration of that point of order, I draw your attention to the elements of the minister’s charter letter that explicitly say that he should ‘identify opportunities to provide long-term cost-of-living relief through structural improvements’. It is hard to see how HECS debt relief is not a cost-of-living measure.

Speaker’s Ruling, Question Out of Order Mr SPEAKER: I have taken advice. This question does go to federal policy and, even with this

charter letter, that is not explicitly included in there. I am going to rule the question out of order.

Illicit Smoking Products Mr BAROUNIS: My question is to the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services. Can the

minister detail the LNP’s action to crack down on illicit tobacco and vapes, and is the minister aware of any alternative approaches?

Mr NICHOLLS: I thank the member for Maryborough. He is a breath of fresh air, particularly when I hark back to the former member for Maryborough, who not only behaved like a clown but dressed like one as well. It is a wonder to have a decent, hardworking member. If I might say, he is someone who is actually interested in the health and wellbeing of young people for proper reasons—unlike those opposite, who are only interested in asking political gotcha questions.

The health and wellbeing of young people is of paramount importance to the Crisafulli LNP government. That is why the Crisafulli LNP government is taking decisive action against illicit tobacco and vape stores—what they sell and what they push, to young people in particular. I know that the Minister for Youth is particularly supportive of this action. Recently in the Wide Bay region, we closed six stores with our interim closure powers, issued 58 penalty infringement notices and seized 750,000 illegal cigarettes, 40 kilograms of loose tobacco and thousands of vapes. That does not include raids in the past week or so, which appear to have been the biggest in Queensland’s history.

I am asked about comparisons. In our first four months in office, we have seized more than 130,000 illegal vapes statewide. That is triple the number seized during Labor’s last four months in office. Three times as much was seized in our first four months in office than Labor was able to achieve in their last four months in office. We have seized eight million illegal cigarettes, which is almost one million more than under those opposite.

Effective today, our government has implemented the nation’s toughest fines for the commercial possession and supply of illegal tobacco, vapes and other nicotine products. Illegal operators can now be hit with on-the-spot fines of more than $32,000 for the sale of illicit tobacco, vapes and pouches—a tenfold increase.

3 Apr 2025 Questions Without Notice 795

The difference could not be more stark. The difference is this government takes seriously the health and wellbeing of all Queenslanders, including the residents of the Wide Bay area and Maryborough, represented by the honourable member for Maryborough. We take tough action. The Labor Party shut their eyes and allowed illegal vapes to be sold at corner stores the length and breadth of the state. We have seen them flourish over the past three years. Under those opposite, there were no fines for selling vapes—no fines at all—and, as a result, those stores flourished. We are taking action; Labor failed to.

(Time expired)

Gas Reserve Policy Mr KATTER: My question is to the Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Minister for

Manufacturing and Minister for Regional and Rural Development. The federal leader of the Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition, Peter Dutton, has called for a gas reserve policy. Without it, Phosphate Hill, Mount Isa Mines and the town’s refinery are all at risk. Will the minister follow the federal LNP lead and introduce an industry-saving gas reserve policy?

Mr LAST: I thank the member for Traeger for his question and for his advocacy for the Mount Isa area and the North West Minerals Province. As we know, that area is experiencing some significant challenges at the moment. We are certainly committed to keeping the Mount Isa community going. The Premier has visited the area and we continue with our discussions with Glencore and IPL. We know how important that industry is and of the flow-on effects through to the copper refinery in Townsville.

In relation to this country’s gas market, the east coast market should be called the southern states’ gas crisis because in Queensland it is a good news story. We have ample gas reserves and supplies. I have been saying to the gas companies in this state: ‘I’ll sign. You drill.’ That is the message we are sending across Queensland, because developing our gas reserves and bringing them online means prosperity and jobs for Queensland.

Those southern states are running out of gas because their governments, in cahoots with the federal government, have imposed restrictions and moratoriums on onshore gas development. That is why they are now in a world of hurt. We in this state of Queensland are in a position to capitalise on that. The gas reserves that we are producing here in Queensland make for a good news story. We will continue to develop those gas reserves right across this state.

Queensland also complies with the Australian market supply condition. Gas produced under that tenure condition must be supplied into the domestic market. For example, Senex’s $1 billion Atlas gas project—which the member for Callide recently visited—is now producing and has the Australian market supply condition applied to it. Queensland is also a participant in the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism. We have those conditions in place. I point out that the Bowen and Galilee basins combined hold an estimated 11,000 petajoules of untapped gas. One petajoule will power 19,000 homes. Clearly, there is no gas crisis in this state. We will continue to produce gas going forward, and that is a good news story.

Regional Queensland, Health Infrastructure Mr LEE: My question is to the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services. Will the minister detail

how the Crisafulli government is delivering health infrastructure across regional Queensland, including in Hervey Bay, and is the minister away of any alternative approaches?

Mr NICHOLLS: I want to particularly thank the member for Hervey Bay for his contribution. He is another new member in this House who has made his mark in rapid time—a refreshing change from the former member for Hervey Bay. I know that the member was out supporting his local community after Tropical Cyclone Alfred. He wasted no time getting out to support his community’s recovery, putting the needs of his community first as they began to build back. It was a tremendous effort.

It is a pleasure to take this question because it enables me to highlight Labor’s wasted decade of health crises and poor planning and the effect it has had on regional Queensland in particular. We on this side know it and our constituents feel it every day. A wasted decade has placed facilities like the Hervey Bay Hospital under sustained pressure with infrastructure delays and cost overruns. Like many of the other projects under Labor’s undeliverable program, the budget of the Hervey Bay Hospital more than doubled last year. Originally it was to be a $40 million project, but early last year—in 2024—the tenders blew out to $94 million with a 70-week delivery timeframe. Here is something those opposite will not tell you: they quietly shelved the project. They said it was undeliverable and it cost too much money. Those tenders were so large that they had to start the project again.

796 Questions Without Notice 3 Apr 2025

In fact, a letter from then health minister Fentiman in July to the former premier and the former treasurer declared that additional funding was needed to enable six of the 12 project offers to be called with confidence—only six of them. What about the remaining projects that were not funded and are still unfunded under Labor’s undeliverable program? That was Labor’s legacy when it came to building hospitals throughout the state. It confirms that Labor had no plans and no confidence to deliver or fully fund the CEP.

The member for Hervey Bay knows that we are getting on with the job. In fact, just last week the first patients were admitted to the new 24-bed modular facility at Hervey Bay. That is a project that Labor was meant to open but failed to do so which has now been delivered by the Crisafulli government.

I was asked about other alternatives. There are other alternatives being spouted by the member for Bundaberg. The member for Bundaberg, who cannot get his facts straight about anything to do with the Bundaberg Hospital, makes claim after claim when we have said consistently that we will be delivering the Bundaberg Hospital. He takes the approach of his leader and talks about cuts. Member for Bundaberg, where is your proof? There is none.

Sosso, Mr J Ms FENTIMAN: My question is to the Minister for Integrity. The Fitzgerald inquiry found the Joh

Bjelke-Petersen government used its power to gerrymander. Has the minister asked the department, Crown Law, the Integrity Commissioner or the Electoral Commissioner for advice about the claims John Sosso attempted to interfere with the Fitzgerald inquiry before she proposed him for appointment to the Queensland Redistribution Commission?

Mrs FRECKLINGTON: We talked about gerrymandering in this House last night. I think it was the Minister for Transport and Main Roads who said there was a gerrymander even before Hanlon. In 1923, there was a Labor gerrymander and then Hanlon in 1949. I would like to clarify for the House that Mr Sosso was not, and never has been, a member of either the Labor or the Liberal National parties. Let’s put that to rest.

I was reliably informed that the former attorney-general has a law degree. One would think she would know about the Fitzgerald years. One would think she would know the timeline of the Fitzgerald years. Just to let the former attorney know: there was the Fitzgerald inquiry and then Mr Sosso was employed by Mr Goss, the then premier, for nearly a decade. What was his job? His job was to work on electoral reform. He was working on electoral reform.

A director-general in charge of an electoral redistribution should know what he is talking about. Whom did the former Labor government appoint? For the first electoral redistribution under Palaszczuk, they appointed Rachel Hunter, the best mate of the member for Woodridge. Rachel Hunter was the then director-general of Education.

Mr de BRENNI: Mr Speaker, I rise to a point of order in relation to relevance under standing order 118(b). The question for the integrity minister was, ‘Did she seek advice?’

Mrs FRECKLINGTON: I am clearly addressing the question.

Dr ROWAN: Mr Speaker, I rise to a point of order. The minister is being responsive to the question as asked. There are many elements of the question to which she is responding. I would submit to you that she is being responsive to the question as asked. The opposition should listen to that response.

Mr SPEAKER: Minister, you have heard the point of order.

Mrs FRECKLINGTON: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to go on. In 2008, Labor appointed the then director-general of Education to the position. I am not sure what a director-general of Education, with no history in electoral reform, would know about electoral redistribution. Then they appointed a director-general of Housing. Again, I am not sure what she knew about electoral redistribution. We have appointed someone who has been appointed by the Commonwealth, who has been appointed by a Labor premier and who has worked for decades in the Public Service. Not only that, he has worked on electoral reform post-Fitzgerald. It is like they are going back to the bad old days of whatever it was in 1923. They have to catch up. They have to catch up. We are now in 2025.

(Time expired)

3 Apr 2025 Questions Without Notice 797

Mon Repos Turtle Centre, Car Park Mr BENNETT: My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Tourism. Can the minister

provide an update on the status of the car park extension at the Mon Repos Turtle Centre, and can the minister tell us more about how the government is delivering opportunities for ecotourism in Queensland?

Mr POWELL: I would be delighted to answer the member for Burnett’s question and elucidate a little more on how the Crisafulli government is boosting ecotourism, including at the fantastic conservation hub that we know as Mon Repos. I know that the member is a big advocate for Mon Repos. I was up there with my family in February. It was fantastic to see a bumper number of 519 turtles nesting during the last season. The average is around 350, and we saw 519 turtles nesting during the last season. That is fantastic. It plays a vital role in conserving the endangered turtle species.

Mr Healy interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Member for Cairns. Mr POWELL: We are offering a safe and protected way for people to view these fantastic turtles

and the little hatchlings. This government is committed to not only conserving our environment but also showcasing it to the world. That is something those opposite failed to do throughout their tenure.

The question was regarding the car park upgrade. Mr Healy interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Member for Cairns, you are now warned. Mr POWELL: I am pleased to announce that the car park upgrade is on track to begin shortly

after Anzac Day and is intended to be completed before the 2025-26 turtle season kicks off in October. Importantly, we are going to be adding 110 car parks to the Mon Repos Turtle Centre, sufficient for the influx of visitors during the peak season. I know, having been there in February, how important those extra car parks will be. In addition, we are taking the opportunity to improve visitor safety by including traffic calming, designated pedestrian paths as well as turtle-sensitive pedestrian lighting. I know that the member for Burnett will be very appreciative of that upgrade to the Mon Repos car park.

It is one of the many activities we are undertaking in the ecotourism space on the green and gold runway in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympics. Of course, we are going to deliver the Whitsunday Skyway. We are going to fix Labor’s mess when it comes to the Wangetti Trail in Far North Queensland. As we speak, we are putting $4½ million into the Jindalba boardwalk in the iconic Daintree National Park. The other day I was able to announce, along with the member for Nanango, that the Dandabah day use area in Bunya Mountains National Park is getting a huge upgrade.

Over the course of their 10 years in government we saw those opposite deliver only three ecotourism projects. We know that they were more interested in locking up our environment than showcasing it to the world. We are turning that around with a clear mandate to show our pristine natural environment to the world.

Queensland Redistribution Commission, Appointment Ms PUGH: My question is to the Minister for Integrity. In a submission to a bill in 2015, the

independent Clerk of this parliament said, ‘I would prefer the appointment process have the bipartisan support of a committee representative of all parties’ in respect of the Queensland Redistribution Commission. Given the LNP government’s commitment to integrity, will the Attorney ensure the appointment to the Queensland Redistribution Commission is bipartisan and supported by Labor, Liberal, Greens, Katter and Independent members of this House?

Mrs FRECKLINGTON: Those opposite had eight years to make the change. For those eight years, all those opposite were sitting in cabinet. They had eight years to make the change. Do members know why they did not want the change? They wanted to appoint their own insider.

History is important. They did not make the change. Out of respect for the role, I wrote to the opposition leader about this. Guess what the opposition leader did? Those opposite talk about integrity. Out of respect, I wrote to the opposition leader and before he even had a thought to respond to my correspondence he went straight to the Courier-Mail and gave it to them. He did not even bother responding. When he did respond, do members know what he did? He said that he is too lazy to meet with me and he wants a supposed future leader of the opposition to meet with me. He is lazy. He is over-resourced. Let’s talk Fitzgerald and what he recommended. Let’s listen to—

798 Questions Without Notice 3 Apr 2025

Mr Bleijie: ‘Mr Seven Per Cent’. Honourable members interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The cross-chamber chatter will cease. Mrs FRECKLINGTON: I will take the interjection from the Deputy Premier—‘Mr Seven Per Cent’.

I was in this House when—I think he was the health minister—he was done for rigging his own poll into the Lady Cilento hospital. The opposition leader was done for vote rigging and he cannot get his own mates to vote for him. He is only up to seven per cent.

Let’s remember when those opposite came into this chamber and gave members 18 minutes notice of a change to the voting system. Was the member for Mount Ommaney in the chamber when they came in here with a bill and gave the opposition, the Katters and the Independents—the Greens were not here then—18 minutes notice to trash Fitzgerald? That is what they did.

Mr Bleijie: When they want, they use it. Mrs FRECKLINGTON: When they want, they will use it. I will take that interjection. The shadow

treasurer is shaking her head because she cannot get what she wants anymore. She cannot get the people she wants appointed. Why is this an issue? Those opposite are only interested in one thing: their jobs. They are not interested in the people of Queensland; they are just worried about their jobs.

Transport Infrastructure Ms JAMES: My question is to the Minister for Transport and Main Roads. Will the minister advise

the House how the Crisafulli government is working to secure the future of critical transport infrastructure, including the Barron River bridge, and is the minister aware of any alternative approaches?

Mr MICKELBERG: How good is it to have a member for Barron River who actually lives in Barron River and fights for her community—unlike her predecessor, a man who sat on the government benches for 10 years, much of that time in cabinet, and delivered nothing for the people of the Far North. Now the people of the Far North are represented by three hardworking LNP members—the members for Barron River, Cook and Mulgrave—who are tireless in their advocacy for their communities. They are tireless in their advocacy because their communities have missed out for far too long under Labor. They should have had a voice in this parliament over the last 10 years in the form of the member for Cairns, but he goes missing far too regularly when it comes to hard issues like the Barron River bridge.

We are committed to ending Labor’s decade of failure when it comes to delivering critical road and rail infrastructure—whether that is the Barron River bridge, upgrading the Bruce Highway or building the multitude of needed road and rail infrastructure projects in Queensland that Labor chose to ignore during their 10 years in power. We will approach building the infrastructure that we need in a systematic, methodical and constructive way, working with all levels of government. Unlike those opposite, we will not play stupid political games.

I was pleased to see the federal government’s contribution in their budget announcement to fix the Barron River bridge. That is a consequence of our engagement with the federal government and working constructively and methodically and delivering for Queenslanders, just as we have for the Bruce Highway with our 80-20 funding commitment. That is $7.2 billion of federal money in a $9 billion package. It is something that those opposite said could not be delivered.

We are delivering that work. Work has already started. A couple of weeks ago I stood with the members from Central Queensland—the members for Mirani, Rockhampton and Keppel—on the side of the Bruce Highway where we are getting work started. We know how important regional roads like the Barron River bridge and the Bruce Highway are for regional Queenslanders. It is through the advocacy of strong LNP members of parliament that we will get this infrastructure built.

We are focused on getting on with the job. Labor did not build infrastructure. All they did was dig black holes and make excuses as to why the price had tripled. If we look at Cross River Rail, the Centenary Bridge, the Bruce Highway, Gold Coast Light Rail stage 3 and the Coomera Connector—it does not matter where you look; the list is as long as my arm—those opposite—

Mr Powell: That’s a long list. Mr Mander: And that’s a long arm!

3 Apr 2025 Corrective Services (Parole Board) Amendment Bill 799

Mr MICKELBERG: It is a long list. I take that interjection. Those opposite were not committed to getting on with the job. Instead, they wanted to play stupid political games with Canberra. We will work with anyone who wants to help fund our projects here in Queensland. We will work respectfully, in a considered and methodical way. We look forward to listening to the voices of strong LNP members of parliament like the member for Barron River.

(Time expired) Mr KING: Mr Speaker— Mr SPEAKER: I am sorry, member for Kurwongbah. The period for question time has expired.

CORRECTIVE SERVICES (PAROLE BOARD) AMENDMENT BILL

Introduction Hon. LJ GERBER (Currumbin—LNP) (Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support and

Minister for Corrective Services) (11.19 am): I present a bill for an act to amend the Corrective Services Act 2006 for particular purposes. I table the bill, the explanatory notes and a statement of compatibility with human rights. I nominate the Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee to consider the bill. Tabled paper: Corrective Services (Parole Board) Amendment Bill 2025 [305].

Tabled paper: Corrective Services (Parole Board) Amendment Bill 2025, explanatory notes [306].

Tabled paper: Corrective Services (Parole Board) Amendment Bill 2025, statement of compatibility with human rights [307].

This bill is about community safety. It is about empowering Parole Board Queensland with the powers they need to make decisions that protect Queenslanders. It is about cleaning up yet another Labor mess that has made our communities less safe.

The Parole Board plays a vital role in the criminal justice system and in maintaining community safety. Its decisions have a direct impact on whether communities remain safe, or are placed at risk. If a prisoner on parole in the community fails to comply with their parole order or presents a risk to community safety, it is the board’s responsibility to make a decision on whether to leave them in the community or to return them to prison. Queenslanders need to have faith in the parole system. They need to have trust that their safety is not being compromised.

Most prisoners will eventually be released from custody. Parole is not early release. Parole provides an opportunity for prisoners to be supervised in the community under very strict conditions. It is a mechanism for offenders to have a managed transition from custody back into the community. Parole conditions can require offenders to report regularly to Corrective Services officers, undertake mandatory rehabilitation programs and seek medical or other assistance for their needs. Parole also provides an opportunity to link offenders to employment or training to provide the highest chance of their not returning to offending.

If the prisoner breaches their parole conditions, this can be acted on swiftly. If there is an unacceptable risk to the community, prisoners on parole are returned to custody. This is an enormous responsibility, and it rests with the Parole Board. It has come to light that, under the former Labor government, the Parole Board has been left without the laws they need to protect the community. We already know that the previous Labor government left the Parole Board without leadership, leaving it plagued by instability, scandal and political interference.

Let’s not forget that Labor appointed a president of the Parole Board who became the subject of a CCC referral. The member for Pine Rivers, the then minister for corrective services, failed to answer basic questions at estimates about the circumstances surrounding his resignation. She claimed she did not know—only to admit later that she did. In what can only be described as a disgraceful abuse of trust, her office negotiated a resignation date that gave the impugned Parole Board president an increase in his judicial pension of $30,000, which is payable for the rest of his life. That is not community safety. That is not respect for taxpayers’ money. That is Labor looking after their mates while leaving Queenslanders to deal with the consequences of poor leadership.

The Crisafulli government is committed to making Queensland safer and reducing victims of crime. We know the Parole Board plays an integral role in delivering this. To execute their enormous responsibility, the board must have strong leadership and robust processes and procedures. Under Labor’s two failed former ministers for corrective services—the member for Morayfield and the member

800 Corrective Services (Parole Board) Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

for Pine Rivers—the board had none of this. Queenslanders deserve better and we will deliver it. We will make a promise to Queenslanders to restore stability, integrity and accountability to Parole Board Queensland, and that is exactly what we are doing.

Last month we appointed Michael Woodford as the new president of the Parole Board. Mr Woodford is an exceptionally qualified leader who has more than 25 years of legal experience. He has a distinguished career, working extensively in criminal and administrative law, and he previously served as a member of the Southern Queensland Regional Parole Board. Mr Woodford has also acted as Queensland’s Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Commissioner, and he has extensive experience overseeing complex investigations while upholding integrity in our institutions. That is exactly what the Parole Board needs. I am confident that Mr Woodford is uniquely qualified to lead the Parole Board, and I look forward to continuing to work with him to bring integrity and accountability to Parole Board Queensland.

A strong leader alone cannot fix a system that has been neglected since its introduction. The law must empower the Parole Board to make decisions that reflect the real risks to the community. That is exactly what this bill does. This bill will ensure that Parole Board Queensland has the tools it needs to prioritise community safety.

Each year the Parole Board manages community safety by considering and making around 6,000 decisions to suspend the parole of prisoners who do not comply with their parole orders. Currently when prisoners on parole present a risk to community safety by breaking their parole conditions in a way that presents serious harm to another person or where there is reasonable belief that an individual may commit another offence, Queensland Corrective Services can ask the Parole Board to consider suspending the individual’s parole order and returning them to custody.

Sometimes a risk presents that requires these decisions to be made very quickly. Sometimes the risk is so imminent that these urgent requests to suspend prisoners are made at midnight or 3 am. The Parole Board member on call is woken with a telephone call from Queensland Corrective Services and asked to rapidly read the material and make a risk-based decision on whether parole should be immediately suspended. If a parole order is suspended, the board can issue a warrant for the prisoner to return to custody. This allows our highly responsive police officers to immediately step in, keep the community safe and send the offender back to custody to mitigate that risk.

Due to the urgent nature of these decisions, there is sometimes no opportunity for a full board to convene and for the information to be considered by the full multidisciplinary team so the act allows for a single Parole Board member to make this decision. If their decision is to return the prisoner to prison, the act has a safeguard that allows the full board to meet within two business days. The full board consists of a professional board member, a Queensland police officer and a Queensland Corrective Services officer. The full board is required to meet and convene within two days to review the decision of the single Parole Board member to suspend the parolee’s parole, as well as any additional information received, and either confirm or set aside the suspension decision. Approximately 98 per cent of decisions to suspend parole—that is, return a parolee to custody—are confirmed by the full board.

This requirement of the full board to review the single board member’s decision is an important safeguard, but let me be clear: this safeguards the Parole Board’s decision to return a prisoner to custody. Accordingly, it safeguards the rights of the parolee—the rights of the prisoner. But guess what? When Labor drafted these laws they forgot to safeguard the rights of the community. If a single Parole Board member decides to suspend parole and send a parolee back to prison, that decision must be reviewed within two days by the full board but, if that same board member makes a decision not to suspend parole—that is, keep the prisoner in the community—there is no requirement for the full Parole Board to review that decision. There is no requirement for the board to convene within two days to ensure that the decision to keep that parolee in the community was the right decision. Let that sink in.

If Queensland Corrective Services asks the Parole Board to consider suspending the parole of a prisoner because the risk they pose to the community is high and a single board member makes the decision not to suspend parole, deciding to keep that prisoner on their parole order in the community, there is no requirement for the full board to convene to review that decision. There is no safeguard for the community. Labor’s laws protected the rights of offenders but they forgot to protect the rights of the community. This bill corrects that. It will expand section 208C of the Corrective Services Act to allow all urgent decisions—whether to suspend or not to suspend parole—to be reviewed by the multidisciplinary board. It means greater scrutiny, better decision-making and, importantly, safer communities.

3 Apr 2025 Corrective Services (Parole Board) Amendment Bill 801

As I previously mentioned, there is currently a two per cent margin of error. Two per cent of suspension decisions are overturned. That two per cent matters when it comes to community safety. Sometimes it is this multidisciplinary board team who can combine the different perspectives and provide a different interpretation of risk that was not apparent to the single board member at three in the morning, or maybe there has been further information gathered within the two days which allows the multidisciplinary board to consider this further information and take urgent action, or the multidisciplinary board may simply interpret the original information differently.

I ask this House to imagine a prisoner with a history of violent offences including armed robbery, deprivation of liberty, assault, domestic violence, drug and property offending, DVOs and unlawful possession of weapons and explosives. Under the former government’s weak-on-crime framework, they were released onto court ordered parole. In the community this parolee is supervised by our hardworking community corrections officers. After noticing a dangerous change in this parolee’s behaviour and getting some worrisome messages from them one night, QCS refers their parole order to the board for suspension. A single Parole Board member is woken at 3 am to consider the suspension request, but they disagree with QCS’s risk assessment and they decide that the parolee can remain in the community. One week later the parolee has broken their curfew, broken into their neighbour’s home, assaulted them, taken their keys, stolen their car and stalked one of their past partners, a woman they had previously abused. What is worse is that they were found with a firearm. Police are preparing to charge them with unlawful entry, assault occasioning bodily harm, contravening their DVO and possession of a weapon. Under Labor’s laws, the full board has no power to review the single board member’s decision to prevent this from happening. With this bill, the full board can review that original decision within two days of its being made and prevent further offending from taking place. That is how you prevent crime. That is how you protect the community. That is how you make a system work.

To the board’s credit, and in line with its commitment to ensuring community safety, in approximately March 2022 it commenced the practice of reviewing decisions of the prescribed board member to ensure their decision was correct. At times, the board did in fact disagree with those initial decisions not to suspend a parolee’s parole order and issued a new decision to return the prisoner to custody because they posed a threat to the community. When we came to government it was discovered that the Labor laws did not explicitly give the board that power to review these decisions. I have taken decisive action to rectify this situation. This bill will provide the board with the express power to review all decisions and ensure the lawfulness of prior decisions.

Labor’s failure to include this safeguard to community safety in the Corrective Services Act is not a minor oversight; it is a fundamental flaw. It reflects Labor’s wider approach to crime in general, which always put the rights of offenders before the rights of victims. Under Labor, youth crime spiralled out of control, police resources were stretched, corrective services were under-resourced, and the very system meant to safeguard the community—the Parole Board—was crippled by political interference and legal uncertainty. This bill is a reset. It is a return to common sense and it is a reflection of our values: community first, victims first, safety first. Being released onto a parole order is not a right. The purpose of parole is to facilitate the safe reintegration of prisoners into the community while ensuring public safety and reducing the risk of reoffending through community supervision, provided by our hardworking community corrections officers.

I am pleased to stand here today making the Parole Board as effective as I can. This bill proposes to provide a clear mechanism for the board to review and confirm or set aside all decisions by a prescribed board member, including a decision not to suspend parole, by inserting new section 208C in the Corrective Services Act. The bill also provides a transitional provision to validate the prior practice of the board in reviewing all decisions. The Crisafulli government’s changes to the Corrective Services Act will ensure community safety and allow the parole framework to function in the way it needs to in order to protect the community.

First Reading Hon. LJ GERBER (Currumbin—LNP) (Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support and Minister

for Corrective Services) (11.34 am): I move— That the bill be now read a first time.

Question put—That the bill be now read a first time. Motion agreed to. Bill read a first time.

802 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

Referral to Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Lister): In accordance with standing order 131, the bill is now referred

to the Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee.

HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION NATIONAL LAW AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading Resumed from 2 April (see p. 770), on motion of Mr Nicholls—

That the bill be now read a second time.

Mr J KELLY (Greenslopes—ALP) (11.35 am): I rise to speak on the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024, which proposes amendments to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 and the Health Ombudsman Act 2013. I first want to thank the former minister for health, mental health and ambulance services, the member for Waterford, and the other state, territory and federal health ministers for developing and agreeing to these important amendments in July last year.

Having trust and confidence in our practitioners is important to the people of Queensland, and these changes will help deliver a nationally consistent framework. The changes will increase the transparency of disciplinary action for health practitioners who have been found to have engaged in serious sexual misconduct. As a clinical nurse, I understand the importance of upholding a high standard of conduct with patients, and I know that the vast majority of clinicians and health workers do the right thing.

As we heard during the committee’s consideration of the bill, on both occasions there were concerns raised about valuing and protecting the rights of clinicians from malicious harm. I understand that over a four-year period 16 health practitioners committed suicide while involved in the complaints process under the national law. I agree with the chair of our committee: it is clear that making the national scheme safer for all of its users is critically important. I am confident that this bill and its subsequent amendments strive to provide a fair and proportionate response to the issues raised.

Sexual harassment and misconduct have no place in any healthcare environment. Notifications made against registered health practitioners for sexual misconduct have, sadly, increased by up to 223 per cent compared to the three years prior, with 841 allegations against 728 health practitioners submitted in 2022-23. While this legislation is a reasonable action in the right direction, considering the intimate nature of the work of our healthcare professionals we must continue to strengthen ethical standards, practices and training to ensure Queenslanders can maintain trust in the healthcare system.

Improving transparency, improving public safety and meeting community expectations, no matter where you live in our nation, was fundamental to the agreement by the health ministers to expand the information available on the public register for practitioners who have engaged in sexual misconduct. By expanding the information available on the public register we will deliver greater transparency and confidence for consumers to make informed decisions on their health care.

As Queensland is the host jurisdiction for the national law as well as co-regulatory jurisdiction under the national law, the Office of the Health Ombudsman will have the primary responsibility for managing notifications about registered health practitioners. These amendments will support the Office of the Health Ombudsman’s continued cooperation and coordination with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, Ahpra, and the 15 national boards that regulate 16 registered health professions.

The bill amends the national law to establish a nationally consistent process for practitioners to regain registration after their registration has been cancelled or they have been disqualified from registration by a tribunal. The new model, adopted under the current New South Wales model, will require cancelled and disqualified practitioners to seek a reinstatement order from a responsible tribunal before applying to the national board for re-registration. Additionally, the amendment also seeks to provide greater protections for people who make notifications or assist regulators during investigations about registered health practitioners.

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 803

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the Review of confidentiality safeguards for people making notifications about health practitioners identified gaps in the protection available to people who were abused. I know everyone in this House wants to ensure that all Queenslanders and, for that matter, all Australians are safe from harm. The royal commission helped lift the lid on the devastating impact these types of predators can inflict on people, with many of them not only dealing with the aftermath of these actions forced onto them but also having to try to navigate a legal and regulatory system which does not offer them every protection.

It came to light that right now people who are notifiers under the law may not be protected from reprisals, harm, threats, intimidation, harassment or coercion. Everyone knows there are far too many barriers for people to come forward and make a complaint, and we do not want to continue with a process where their fears could be realised because the current protections may be inadequate or inconsistently applied.

During the independent review of the regulation of medical practitioners who perform cosmetic surgery, led by Mr Andrew Brown, former Queensland Health Ombudsman, it was identified that healthcare consumers were not fully aware of their rights after signing a non-disclosure agreement. Many who gave evidence or provided submissions outlined that, once they had signed a non-disclosure agreement, they questioned their right to make a notification or provide information to a health regulator.

I again support the proposed amendment that will make it crystal clear that consumer protections regarding non-disclosure agreements about the health, conduct or performance of health practitioners does not limit a person from making a notification or providing assistance to regulators and others performing functions under the national law. Again, this is important because we want to make sure not only that regulators have the ability to conduct fulsome investigations but also that people are able to come forward with their complaints in the first instance and that a non-disclosure agreement is not a barrier from doing so. I know everyone here wants to make Queenslanders feel not only confident seeking health treatment but also safe from unlawful discrimination, sexual harassment, vilification and other objectionable conduct. That is what these nationally agreed amendments will hopefully achieve.

We have a positive duty to try to eliminate this behaviour, not just in the health sector but also in people’s workplaces. We want to ensure that sex-based harassment has no place in a healthcare environment or for that matter any workplace. The national law which we are talking about now supports an expanded legislative framework for investigating and pursuing a fair and balanced response to protect healthcare consumers. We must continue to advocate and implement a robust legislative framework concerning additional protections and providing Queenslanders with sufficient recourse when they have not been treated with the respect we all deserve. Every Queenslander deserves to feel safe at work and when accessing services. The national law, originally introduced under the Miles government, ensures that these rights are observed.

Lastly, I want to thank the chair and my colleagues on the Health, Environment and Innovation Committee for their work on this bill and my predecessors on the relevant committee in the last parliament. I know the committee members have all put a lot of time, effort and thought into this important legislation, with three additional recommendations to improve the bill following substantial stakeholder and community consultation. I am pleased that the Minister for Health has accepted two of those recommendations, and I thank the minister for that.

The clarification of the legislative threshold for sexual misconduct sufficiently removes any doubt on what could be considered to constitute sexual misconduct. This clarity is essential for both the public and crucially—again, falling on my experience as a clinical nurse—for my colleagues in the health sector. I also appreciate the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services acknowledging last night that he has accepted the fourth recommendation of the committee and taken steps to deliver on that recommendation.

These laws are a very important step forward. They largely deal with providing information about individual practitioners, and that is an important tool in the armour of keeping the most important people in this—patients—safe from sexual predation by healthcare professionals. However, the vast majority of people who receive health care do not have much choice over who treats them. If we think about the typical journey of a patient—from being injured or becoming ill to going through the ambulance system, emergency department, hospital and perhaps into an aged-care facility—I can say from personal experience that the many thousands of people who I have cared for over the years as a nurse have made no decision about whether I provide that care or not. I think that is another area of great attention.

804 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

I feel confident in saying that, while these laws provide additional protections and I certainly welcome and support them, I do not think we can underestimate that the greatest protection that patients have is the incredibly high ethical and professional behaviour of all health professionals who choose to follow that vocation. I certainly want to commend all those health professionals for the important work they do in our society.

I want to thank the submitters who took time to consider this legislation and provide very thoughtful feedback, particularly the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union, the Australian Medical Association, the College of GPs and others. I would like to conclude by thanking the health minister for his work on this job, the former health minister for her work on this job and all of the other state, territory and federal colleagues for reaching agreement on these important amendments. I commend the bill to the House.

Mr MOLHOEK (Southport—LNP) (11.45 am): I also rise this morning to make a contribution in respect of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. At the outset I want to acknowledge the minister and say thank you. In my many years as a committee member—and I have been involved in various committees over many years—I am struggling to recall a time where a minister has actually responded so positively to recommendations of a committee. I want to thank the minister for listening and for his willingness to take on board some of the recommendations of the committee—not all of them.

We had very fulsome responses and a significant amendment—in that the entire contents of the explanatory notes were resubmitted and changed to better reflect the issues raised by the committee and to clarify definitions around the difference between ‘serious sexual misconduct’ and just ‘sexual misconduct’. We would not trivialise either, but the committee raised concerns around these definitions and the need for absolute clarity in the future so that others who find themselves in a situation where they want to prosecute these issues have a definition that stands up under law.

As chair of the committee, it was our role to hear from submitters and consider whether the policies to be achieved by the legislation and its application have sufficient regards to the rights and liberties of individuals and the institution of the parliament. The bill makes amendments to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and the Health Ombudsman Act 2013. Queensland, as has already been stated, is the host jurisdiction for this national law which binds each participating Australian jurisdiction, with variations to suit each locality. The committee received 23 submissions and held a public hearing, during which we heard evidence from 15 witnesses. I want to thank all those organisations which made significant contributions to the review of this legislation for their submissions and their time as witnesses.

The objectives of the bill are to amend the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to: better protect public safety by establishing a nationally consistent process for practitioners to regain registration after their registration has been cancelled or they have been disqualified by a tribunal; increase transparency for the public regarding disciplinary action against health practitioners who have been found by a tribunal to have engaged in serious sexual misconduct; and strengthen protections for notifiers while clarifying consumer protections in relation to non-disclosure agreements about the health, conduct or performance of health practitioners. Put simply, the legislation seeks to establish a public register of practitioners who have engaged in serious sexual misconduct. I probably should delete the word ‘serious’; it is just sexual misconduct.

The Health, Environment and Innovation Committee also has oversight of Queensland’s Office of the Health Ombudsman. While standing orders prevent me from discussing in detail some of the complaints handled by the ombudsman, I can speak generally about the complaint system as data is published annually by the OHO.

In the year 2023-24, the number of complaints received increased by eight per cent, from 8,613 to 9,264. Forty-eight per cent of these complaints were assessed and categorised as high-risk or priority matters, compared to 22 per cent in previous years. Seventy-six decisions were made to take immediate action against registered and unregistered health practitioners in the same year. As at 30 June 2024, 286 practitioner monitoring cases were open, an increase of 14 per cent. The Director of Proceedings received 107 matters from the Health Ombudsman for consideration for referral to QCAT in that same year, also an increase of around 23 per cent on the previous year.

Furthermore, the OHO reports each month to our committee on the more serious matters awaiting action by the Director of Proceedings and on all matters exceeding two years. Without going into details, complaints and actions regarding sexual misconduct make up a significant portion of all complaints received and dealt with by the Office of the Health Ombudsman.

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 805

Given the rise in complaints, I can assure the House that the need to provide greater information to the public about practitioners who have been found to have engaged in professional misconduct involving sexual misconduct, as proposed in this bill, is more than justified. We must ensure all practitioners understand that serious sexual boundary violations will never be tolerated.

That said, there is a need for fairness and due process. Several submitters raised concerns about the risks associated with wrongly or unfairly naming practitioners on a national register. During our inquiry I was shocked to hear that over a 14-year period 16 health practitioners had taken their own life while involved in the complaints process under the national law. Even without hearing directly from victims and survivors of health practitioner sexual abuse, it is clear that making the national scheme safer for all is critically important.

At the public hearing on Tuesday, 28 January the committee heard evidence from representatives of the Australian Medical Association, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union, Avant Mutual, the Australian Lawyers Alliance, the Queensland Law Society, the Office of the Health Ombudsman and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, Ahpra. The Australian Medical Association stated that the breach of trust between practitioner and patient is of such a nature that it tilts the balance in favour of a prospective patient’s right to know. That, simply, is the argument for the national register. Therefore, the AMA supports the ongoing publication of a practitioner’s regulatory history in relation to all transgressions of a sexual nature. However, some submitters raised legitimate concerns about the retrospective nature of the proposal for permanent publication.

The committee spent a significant amount of time exploring this issue with relevant stakeholders and is reasonably satisfied that these concerns are best addressed through the safeguards contained within the bill and by Ahpra ensuring clear protocols and parameters are in place. Ahpra noted that practitioners rightly expect procedural fairness and natural justice in their regulatory processes. As a result of these concerns, the committee has recommended that during the implementation of the bill the Australian Health Ministers’ Meeting consult further with relevant stakeholders around operationalising any legislative threshold of sexual misconduct and the national boards’ discretion to infer.

In recommendation 2 of the report, the committee has asked that either the bill or the explanatory notes be amended to clarify any requisite legislative threshold for sexual misconduct or its ordinary meaning at law. I am pleased to see that the minister has provided an erratum and amended the explanatory notes as requested.

A significant number of submitters raised concerns about this important discrepancy between the legislation and the explanatory notes. The legislation specifically refers to sexual misconduct, for which there is no definition in the current national law. The explanatory notes, however, use the term ‘serious sexual misconduct’ and provide an extensive list of examples. The Medical Board of Australia’s guidelines in relation to sexual misconduct state that ‘sexual misconduct is an abuse of the doctor-patient relationship’ and ‘can cause significant and lasting harm to patients’. While this is a reasonably robust definition, it is not entirely fit for purpose as it relates only to doctors. The national law proposes to regulate an estimated 900,000 health practitioners through 15 established national boards which cover chiropractic, dental, midwifery, Chinese medicine, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practice, medical radiation, nursing, optometry, paramedicine, pharmacy, physiotherapy, psychology, podiatry, occupational therapy and medical practice generally.

The committee welcomes and supports the legislation as proposed. However, it should be noted that there are a significant number of unregistered practitioners to whom this law does not apply. There is not the same level of oversight for personal carers, social workers, naturopaths, nutritionists, herbalists, reflexologists, music therapists, theatre technicians, medical assistants or hypnotherapists, to name a few. In fact, the Office of the Health Ombudsman identified just on 40 occupations that are unregistered but all of which involve significant patient contact.

In closing, I wish to acknowledge the work of my fellow committee members and the committee secretariat and thank them all for their contributions in reviewing this important legislation. I commend the bill to the House.

Hon. DE FARMER (Bulimba—ALP) (11.55 am): I rise to make a contribution to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. The bill amends that law: to protect public safety by establishing a nationally consistent process for practitioners to regain registration after their registration has been cancelled or they have been disqualified from registration by a tribunal; to increase transparency for the public about disciplinary action against health

806 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

practitioners who have been found by a tribunal to have engaged in serious sexual misconduct; and to strengthen protections for notifiers and clarify consumer protections in relation to non-disclosure agreements about the health, conduct or performance of health practitioners.

As we know, the national law provides the legal framework for the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for all health professions which is administered by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. It commenced in 2010. Its guiding principles are, first, to protect the public and, second, to ensure that public confidence in the safety of services provided by health practitioners and students in Australia, regardless of the state or territory the care is provided in, is paramount. It is a single registration for health practitioners which is recognised nationally and which provides uniform standards for registration.

I was interested in the committee report. I want to acknowledge the hard work—this is really important work—from the health community, and I want to acknowledge the contribution and deliberation of all members, because this legislation regulates an estimated 900,000 health practitioners under the national law, which established 15 national boards to regulate 16 professions. They include the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board, Chinese medicine, chiropractic, dental practice, medical practice, medical radiation practice, midwifery, nursing, OT, optometry, osteopathy, paramedicine, pharmacy, physio, podiatry and psychology. However, I am very cognisant of the point made just now by the chair of the committee about a number of unregistered health practitioners who are not covered by this and the reference to that by the Health Ombudsman. No doubt, this is on the radar for many in these positions—something like 40 health professionals.

I want to stress that the absolute majority of health practitioners—as a former speech pathologist, I was one of those health practitioners many years ago—show us every single day how worthy they are of the trust that is placed in them. Earlier I read out that list. We know that in different countries all around the world—every year in Australia—various bodies publish annual surveys about what people think of different professions. Who is at the top of the list? Always, health professionals are at the top of the list. It is doctors, nurses and paramedical people. Unfortunately, politicians never get very high on that list, but we are all in the same boat in that respect.

I want to stress that this is not aimed at those people. In fact, I think it is important that we take this opportunity to say thank you to all the health professionals for the amazing work they do. I think of the nurses who all offered to sleep over at hospitals when Tropical Cyclone Alfred was coming in case their colleagues could not get there in times of floods. This comes at a time when nurses are feeling quite hurt and insulted by the pay offer that was made to them in their enterprise bargaining agreement. I think their official enterprise agreement expired on Monday, and so they may be feeling extremely unacknowledged and undervalued. I want to say to them and to all of our health professionals: thank you for everything you do for us and thank you for your service. It is that respect and high level of trust that people have for health practitioners all over the world that makes it so imperative for us to pass legislation like this because it can be abused by the small number of unscrupulous people among them who perpetrate harm on others through sexual and other serious misconduct.

Queensland hosts the national law on behalf of all states and territories, which means any amendments to the national law have to be made by the Queensland parliament. I understand that health ministers agreed to amend the national law in response to an alarming increase in the number of complaints of sexual misconduct by health practitioners. I want to thank the previous health minister for the work that she did in bringing this to parliament and the current health minister for making sure this goes ahead.

There are some figures quoted in the report, in the explanatory notes and in the statement of compatibility. In 2022-23, there were 841 allegations of sexual misconduct in relation to 728 registered health practitioners, which is 223 per cent higher than three years ago. That is a great cause for concern. I note the previous health minister, the member for Waterford, in her introductory speech referred to it as representing a ‘growing and concerning trend of reported inappropriate behaviour’. The current Minister for Health when introducing the bill said— The bill will strengthen public safety protections and increase transparency regarding serious sexual misconduct by registered health practitioners.

That is absolutely right. He then went on to say— It aligns with the government’s commitment to a safe, strong, well-functioning health system, underpinned by a workforce that is expertly trained, valued and respected.

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 807

It is very difficult to talk about this bill in the context of the introductory speech made by the minister when, in the same month that this bill is being debated, the government announced that it was putting a pause on the provisions of the Respect at Work and Other Matters Amendment Bill 2024.

Mr NICHOLLS: Deputy Speaker, I am sure that you realise what I am going to raise and that is relevance. This is a discussion that is outside the long title of the bill—on a point of order.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Furner): Minister, you need to take a point of order if you are doing that. I call the member for Bulimba.

Ms FARMER: The pause is in conflict with the objectives of the national law because it actually establishes a positive duty on employers—

Mr NICHOLLS: Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise to a point of order. The member is not being relevant to the long title of the bill.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Bulimba, could you reference the particular part of the bill or the report that you are referring to, please?

Ms FARMER: I am actually referring to the minister’s introductory speech about this bill— Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. Continue. Ms FARMER:—where he talks about the commitment from the government to a safe, strong,

well-functioning health system underpinned by a workforce that is expertly trained, valued and respected. I think it is really important that as a government and as a parliament—

Mr NICHOLLS: Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise to a point of order. I am very well aware of what I said in my speech but none of that is in reference to the respect at work bill, or anything to do with the pause that was announced by the Attorney-General. I would ask you to bring the member back to the point of relevance, which is the long title of the bill and the discussion of the matters under consideration by the bill.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: In ruling on that point of order, I consider the contribution relevant to the committee report. I have a copy in front of me.

Ms FARMER: The respect at work bill is all about— Mr NICHOLLS: Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise to a point of order. There is no mention in the

committee report with respect to the respect at work bill. I would ask you to bring the minister back to relevance with respect to the long title of the bill.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I will call the Clerk. Member for Bulimba, I ask you to remain relevant to not only the long title of the bill but also the report.

Ms FARMER: Thank you, Deputy Speaker. It is really important that the laws this parliament passes—the bill that we are talking about now—focus specifically on sexual misconduct. Any laws that this government can uphold around sexual harassment in the workplace are incredibly important. In the last few years, there have been significant—

Mr NICHOLLS: Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise to a point of order again. This bill does not deal with sexual harassment in the workplace; it deals with sexual misconduct by practitioners against their patients. I would ask you to again bring the member back to the long title of the bill and the matters under debate in the bill.

Ms FENTIMAN: Mr Deputy Speaker, in relation to your consideration on that point of order, this bill obviously deals with sexual misconduct in the workplace aimed at protecting consumers. I think talking about a workplace that is free from sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, is entirely relevant to this bill.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: That is the way I interpreted the report: a workplace is a practitioner’s place of employment in terms of dealing with a client. I ask the minister to desist from making frivolous points of order in the future, otherwise I will have to issue warnings.

Ms FARMER: As I said, it is so important that this government and this parliament make absolutely unequivocal statements about what is appropriate in a workplace. The bill we are examining today specifically talks about sexual misconduct. When we look at the statistics of people who are experiencing sexual harassment, the figures are shocking. Most women, and one in four men, have reported experiencing sexual harassment at work. Those numbers are not just statistics.

808 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

Mr NICHOLLS: Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise to a point of order with respect to the long title of the bill, which is an act to amend the Health Ombudsman Act and the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 for particular purposes. It is not an act to deal with sexual harassment at work. It is not an act that goes over and above and beyond the behaviour of practitioners regulated under Ahpra and OHO with respect to their conduct towards patients. That occurs in a workplace but that is not the same, in my respectful submission, as the harassment of an employee in a workplace for which there is very separate legislation which appropriately condemns it. I would ask you to consider bringing the member back to the topic of the bill and the long title of the bill with respect to those matters.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, I have ruled on this already. Ms FARMER: Thank you, Deputy Speaker. If it would assist the minister, I can make references

specifically to health workplaces, as opposed to all other workplaces in which every worker deserves protection. In respect of the submissions that have been made to laws which examine the issue of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct, I refer to a submission that was made by the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union talking about a survey their union had taken of over 1,200 Queensland health workers in 114 facilities across the state that found that around 70 per cent—

(Time expired) Ms DOOLEY (Redcliffe—LNP) (12.09 pm): I rise to speak in support of the Health Practitioner

Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. I speak as a registered nurse, the member for Redcliffe, a member of the Health, Environment and Innovation Committee, the sole director of a private nursing agency and a proud member of the Nurses’ Professional Association of Queensland. I speak in support of this bill. I, too, want to thank the health minister for his advice and consultation on this and for taking the recommendations in the committee report. I also want to thank the other members of the health committee and the committee secretariat for their immense work in collating all of the public hearing information and putting forward the report.

I, like everyone in this House, believe that the public has the right to know if their healthcare providers have a history relating to sexual misconduct in the workplace. Patients in hospitals, patients who see a GP in a community health clinic, residents who live in residential aged care, seniors who receive care in the comfort of their own home—wherever and whenever Queenslanders receive health care—should have confidence that they are going to receive professional, safe and quality care. Doctors, nurses and health professionals are some of the most trusted in society, so when that trust is broken the public has a right to know. Trust is the cornerstone of the health practitioner-patient relationship, impacting patient adherence, satisfaction and health outcomes, with the lack of trust potentially leading to negative consequences. Building trust involves effective communication, empathy, demonstrating competence and being honest and reliable.

According to Ahpra, the Australian Health Regulation Practitioner Agency, there are currently 920,535 registered health practitioners in Australia. This includes: doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, pharmacists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, dentists, optometrists, osteopaths, chiropractors, psychologists and podiatrists, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners, who are all required to be registered with Ahpra to work professionally in Queensland and Australia. There are other relevant professional boards that each of these disciplines is also required to be a member of. For example, as a nurse I am a member of the Nurses’ Professional Association of Queensland and the Royal College of Nursing.

Queensland is the host jurisdiction for this bill and its amendments, making Queensland responsible for amending the national law on behalf of all of the states and territories. Sadly, there has been a significant increase in the number of complaints of sexual misconduct made against health practitioners across Australia. In 2022-23 Ahpra received 841 complaints about boundary violations by health practitioners—a 223 per cent increase compared to the three years prior, indicating a growing trend of patients coming forward to report inappropriate behaviour. In 2024 Ahpra reported more than 1,156 complaints about professional boundary violations against health practitioners including sexual misconduct. This was an increase of 37.5 per cent from the previous year. Of those complaints, 174 related to practitioners working in Queensland.

Any act of sexual misconduct committed by a health practitioner is an egregious breach of the trust they hold. It is something that Queenslanders and Australians should never have to experience or tolerate. Sexual misconduct causes harm and long-lasting trauma to patients. It erodes community confidence in the safety of services provided by health practitioners and the public loses faith in public health service delivery. This Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 809

Amendment Bill will ensure that more information is made available about practitioners with a history of sexual misconduct. It will empower Queenslanders to make more informed decisions about who provides their health care.

This bill will provide hospital and health services and other healthcare employers with the information they need before employing staff and will better protect their patients. This bill requires that national boards be open and transparent with data for each healthcare professional by publishing information on their public registers about tribunal findings of any sexual misconduct. How does that translate into practice? If people are given a referral for a specialist physician, for example an oncologist, a psychologist or a physio, before they make that appointment they can check the website and relevant health board to see if there is any history of sexual misconduct. This may influence their decision on whether or not they make that appointment with that health practitioner.

These national law amendments were agreed by all of the health ministers of states and territories and the Commonwealth in July 2024. This bill recommends three reforms to improve public safety and transparency of information. Firstly, it recommends that health practitioners whose registration has been cancelled by the tribunal or who have been disqualified from registration must obtain the tribunal’s approval before they can reapply to the national board for registration. The second reform contained in the bill is a requirement for all national boards to permanently publish additional information on the public registers about practitioners who a tribunal has found have engaged in professional misconduct based on sexual misconduct.

Thirdly, the bill recommends the strengthening of protections for complainants and health consumers by making it an offence to engage in reprisals or other actions that could discourage persons from making notifications, preventing the use of non-disclosure provisions to limit a person’s right to make a notification and rendering such provisions void. This bill will also amend the Health Ombudsman Act 2013 and the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 to ensure these reforms operate effectively in Queensland.

I also want to note, however, that the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Avant medical insurers and the Australian College of Nursing support the amendments in the bill but did raise concerns that the bill does not provide adequate protection for health practitioners against complaints that are either without merit or have been repeatedly lodged as a form of retribution by an aggrieved person. There is a delicate balance required around protecting clinicians against aggrieved persons and protecting the public. We need this bill to protect all.

In closing, I want to put on the record my personal thanks to all of the health professionals at the Redcliffe Hospital. The Redcliffe Hospital expansion plan will be delivered under an LNP government. The implicit trust and relationship that health practitioners have with their patients, clients or residents is something the government must and should protect. If health practitioners are found guilty of any sexual charges of misconduct then relevant criminal proceedings may follow. This bill does not make provision for that; that will become a civil matter but may lead to their registration being suspended or disqualified. This bill seeks to ensure that any complaints of sexual misconduct are recorded publicly and are able to be accessed. I commend the bill to the House and ask for the House’s support of it.

Ms PUGH (Mount Ommaney—ALP) (12.18 pm): This bill amends the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and the Health Ombudsman Act in line with amendments agreed to by the Australian health ministers at their meeting. As the previous members have noted, Queensland is the host jurisdiction for this national law and is also a co-regulatory jurisdiction under national law.

I think we can all agree that the reason this legislation is so important is that health professionals are held in such universally high regard throughout our community. They are placed in a position of respect and a position of trust. The vast majority of medical professionals and doctors in our community are well deserving of that trust. We could all think of many wonderful health professionals whom we know in our personal and professional lives who do so much each and every day to look after us, and this bill is in part to protect them and their professional reputations so that they can continue to do the wonderful work that they do in the community.

I note that the bipartisan work of the committee on this important piece of legislation also made some notes around notifications against registered health practitioners for sexual misconduct in that there was an increase in those notifications. It was up by 223 per cent compared to the three years prior, with 841 allegations against 728 health practitioners submitted in 2022-23. As such, this bill will amend the national law to increase transparency for the public about disciplinary action against health

810 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

practitioners who have been found by a tribunal to have engaged in sexual misconduct. This will be achieved by expanding the information available on the national public registers so consumers can make an informed decision when choosing their health practitioner where possible.

The bill also amends the national law to establish a nationally consistent process for practitioners to regain their registration after it has been cancelled or they have been disqualified from registration by a tribunal. The new model, which is adopted from the current New South Wales model, will require cancelled and disqualified practitioners to seek reinstatement from a responsible tribunal before applying to the national board for re-registration. The amendments to the national law will strengthen protections for notifiers and potential notifiers from reprisal, harm, threats, intimidation, harassment or coercion. This is in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the separate Review of confidentiality safeguards for people making notifications about health practitioners by the National Health Practitioner Ombudsman and Privacy Commissioner which identified gaps in those protections.

It is going to clarify protections for patients or consumers regarding non-disclosure agreements about the health, conduct or performance of health practitioners to ensure a person is not limited from making a notification or providing assistance to regulators and others performing functions under the national law. This follows on from the independent review of regulation of medical practitioners who perform cosmetic surgery led by Mr Andrew Brown, a former Queensland health ombudsman. This review found that healthcare consumers are not fully aware of their rights if they have signed a non-disclosure agreement. As I said, this bill is really important because it provides those much needed rights for consumers or patients, as I prefer to call them, who seek medical care from people that they trust and to those hardworking clinicians who do a wonderful job each and every day who rightfully uphold that trust. A lot of work has been done to get the right balance between the right of those clinicians to be heard and ensuring the people who work in those fields are worthy of the trust that is placed in them.

This is obviously not a controversial bill in that the committee has done some fantastic work on it. I want to thank the committee for the work it put into its inquiry on this bill. It is, as I said, not a controversial bill but an incredibly important one because it is about protecting people at their most vulnerable, which they often are when seeking health care, and that is a really important thing that we can all aspire to achieve in this House. With those few words, I support the bill.

Mr LEE (Hervey Bay—LNP) (12.24 pm): I rise to speak to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. The public has a right to know if their healthcare provider has a regulatory history relating to sexual misconduct and this bill will allow people to make informed decisions about their healthcare provider. It will also provide health and hospital services and other healthcare employers with the information they need to better protect their patients. I want to acknowledge our Minister for Health and Ambulance Services and my fellow committee members for putting together a response to this legislation that is before the House today.

The national law is set out in the schedule to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009. It sets out the legal framework for Australia’s National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for the health professions. Queensland is the host jurisdiction for the national law and each participating jurisdiction applies the national law through their local legislation. These amendments are the most substantive reforms to the national law since 2010. This bill amends both the national law and the Health Ombudsman Act 2013 to ensure the national law operates effectively in Queensland’s co-regulatory environment. The bill’s objectives are to protect public safety by establishing a nationally consistent process for practitioners to regain their registration after it has been cancelled or disqualified; increases public transparency about health practitioners who have been found by a tribunal to have engaged in sexual misconduct; and strengthens the protections for notifiers and clarifies protections in relation to non-disclosure agreements about the health, conduct and performance of health practitioners.

In February 2023, there was a disturbing ABC Four Corners story, ‘Do No Harm’. The program alleged that since 2010 there had been an alarming increase in doctors sanctioned by a tribunal for sexual misconduct who subsequently returned to work. Following the ABC Four Corners program, the federal health and aged-care minister ordered a review into the way the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, Ahpra, was handling these misconduct cases. In July 2023 Ahpra reported that regulators received a total of 841 allegations of boundary violations, including sexual misconduct, in relation to 728 practitioners—a disturbing 223 per cent increase over a three-year period. The 841 allegations were across the 16 professions, including 359 related to medical practitioners, 215 nurses and 120 psychologists.

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 811

In 2024, Ahpra reported more than 1,156 complaints against health practitioners about professional boundary violations, including sexual misconduct. This is an increase of 37.5 per cent from the previous year but also a massive 342 per cent increase over a four-year period. The types of patient complaints range from inappropriate or sexualised remarks, intimate touching without consent, personal relationships and aggressive sexual and criminal offending. Sexual misconduct can cause harm and long-lasting trauma to patients. Health practitioners are in a special relationship of trust and sexual misconduct is an egregious breach of that trust.

In 2024, there were 15,078 practitioners who received notifications about their practice or behaviour out of more than 920,000 health practitioners registered in Australia. The vast majority—that is, about 98 per cent—of our registered health practitioners, including those in my electorate of Hervey Bay, are upholding their ethical and professional obligations. This fact should not diminish the destructive impact that the minority perpetuate in egregiously breaching their ethical and professional obligations to the community. This bill is a direct response to the alarming 342 per cent increase in boundary violations over a four-year period. In July 2024, Australian health ministers agreed to the proposed reforms to the national law at an out-of-session meeting.

The bill proposes three reforms. The first reform provides that a health practitioner whose registration has been cancelled or disqualified must follow a two-step process to be re-registered under Ahpra. A health practitioner seeking to be re-registered after a period of cancellation or disqualification must obtain a reinstatement order from the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal before applying for re-registration with the national board. QCAT has the authority to hear and decide reinstatement applications and related orders. The tribunal may find different types of conduct taken together can amount to professional misconduct. The bill also provides that sexual misconduct need not be the sole or main basis for the tribunal’s findings of professional misconduct. The second step requires that the board then consider the application under part 7 of the national law.

The second reform provides that if a national board is satisfied that a tribunal decided on or after the participation day for the relevant profession that a practitioner has engaged in professional misconduct based on sexual misconduct then the national board must record additional information in the national register. This means the public register will permanently record a practitioner’s regulatory history when they have engaged in sexual misconduct, and it will apply retrospectively. Currently, the national law provides that practitioners under active disciplinary sanctions are published on the national register; however, once the misconduct sanction is lifted, information is removed from the register. Therefore, instances have occurred where practitioners have engaged in sexual misconduct that has been removed from the national register and the public are unaware of that practitioner’s regulatory history. To improve public transparency and protect public safety, Australian health ministers, as I have said, agreed to amend the national law and expand the public register information for practitioners who have engaged in sexual misconduct.

The third reform will fortify the current protections for good faith notifiers under the national law. The proposed amendments will provide greater protections to people who make notifications or assist regulators during investigations involving registered health practitioners. It will be an offence to enter into a non-disclosure agreement unless the agreement sets out in writing that it does not limit a person from making a notification or providing assistance to regulators. Any non-disclosure agreement purporting to prohibit national law notifications will be unenforceable and attract individual and corporate pecuniary penalties. It will also be an offence to threaten, intimidate, dismiss, refuse to employ or subject a person to other detriment or reprisal because they intend to make, or have made, a notification or provide assistance to persons performing functions under the national law. The offences will apply prospectively, whereas the voiding of non-disclosure agreements will apply retrospectively irrespective of when the agreement was entered. A new section 236A voids or annuls any provision of a non-disclosure agreement that prevents or limits a person from making a good faith notification or assisting a regulatory body during an investigation. I commend the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill to the House.

Hon. SM FENTIMAN (Waterford—ALP) (12.32 pm): The Labor opposition has always stood up for laws that protect Queenslanders and always will. Whether you are at work or at home or receiving care in a hospital, feeling safe and being safe should not be optional; it is absolutely fundamental. It is the government’s job to take the steps needed to make that safety a reality. The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, introduced by the former Labor government, was designed to increase transparency and ensure the public knows when serious disciplinary action is taken against practitioners for sexual misconduct. It also introduced vital protections for those who come forward or

812 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

assist in investigations—people who deserve to be safe and supported when speaking up. The national law provides a framework that strengthens our ability to respond to sexual misconduct in health care, ensuring patient safety and, most importantly, upholding public trust. It is about guaranteeing we hold perpetrators of sexual misconduct to account and improve how our systems respond to these complaints.

During my time as health minister I was proud to introduce the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law. One of the core objectives of this bill was to create transparency with Queenslanders about how cases of sexual misconduct were dealt with in the public health system. We abolished the use of non-disclosure agreements for sexual harassment cases and strengthened a registry for those accused of serious sexual misconduct, because we wanted to create an environment of transparency and safety.

So often in our society, there is negative stigma associated with making complaints about sexual misconduct. Victims are often ashamed and scared to speak up. This is still an issue right here in Queensland—right here in Queensland Health. During my time as health minister I commissioned an independent review of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct policies and procedures in Queensland Health. The findings of that report were quietly released last week and highlighted a greater focus on trauma informed responses to sexual conduct complaints. The report listed an array of recommendations for Queensland Health, including leadership training and further development of prevention plans for leadership and management. Interestingly, the LNP government has not spoken about this report or its findings since its release.

It should come as no surprise that that report also states that the review that was undertaken was well timed because last year the Respect at Work and Other Matters Amendment Bill was passed by the Queensland parliament. We all know that those amendments were due to come into effect on 1 July this year. They were used as a key marker in that statewide review of sexual safety in Queensland Health which drew comparisons to those laws throughout the final report. As all members know, the LNP government has made the decision to indefinitely pause those critical reforms that protect Queensland health workers, and workers right across the state, from sexual harassment at work. That decision stands in direct conflict with the recommendations from Queensland Health’s independent review into sexual harassment and sexual misconduct.

For the health minister to come in here and argue that sexual harassment does not form part of sexual misconduct is absolutely shocking. I would draw the attention of the health minister to page 12 of the committee report, which outlines a whole lot of behaviours that form part of sexual misconduct, including making sexual comments, suggestions or gestures; engaging in sexual humour or innuendo; and sexual exploitation, abuse or harassment. The health minister needs to get his head around what constitutes sexual misconduct if he is to have any hope of protecting Queensland health workers from sexual harassment in the workplace. He could start by picking up the phone to the Attorney-General and saying, ‘Let’s commence those important positive duties on workplaces to prevent sexual harassment.’ That would actually protect a whole lot of workers, not only in Queensland Health but also across Queensland, because almost every woman has at some time in their life experienced sexual harassment and one in four men report sexual harassment. If this government is actually serious about tackling sexual misconduct when it comes to Queensland Health and consumers or tackling sexual harassment in the workplace, it should absolutely not indefinitely delay those important reforms and get on with it, because they are important reforms for Queensland workers.

I am so disappointed, once again, that the health minister could not even bring himself to say that sexual harassment forms part of sexual misconduct. It is embarrassing and it is shocking and sends a dangerous message to Queensland workers, especially Queensland women. We should be doing everything we can to protect workers, particularly when it comes to sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. The Labor opposition will, of course, support these amendments, because we know that every Queenslander deserves to feel safe at home, at work and everywhere else in the community. It should be non-negotiable. The LNP government cannot say the same, as this bill completely contradicts their decision to pause respect at work laws. Those opposite should be absolutely ashamed of abandoning Queensland workers.

Dr ROWAN (Moggill—LNP) (12.38 pm): I rise to address the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. At the outset and in accordance with my register of interests, I declare I am a registered specialist physician with the Medical Board of Australia and that I have multiple fellowships with a number of specialist medical colleges as well as being a former president of the Australian Medical Association Queensland and the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland.

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 813

This legislation represents an important step forward in protecting public safety and ensuring the highest standards of accountability and transparency, not only for Queensland’s healthcare system but also for the healthcare systems of all other state and territory jurisdictions across Australia. By way of background and with reference to the aims of this legislation, it is important to first understand that those who are entrusted with the care of patients have a duty to uphold the integrity of their profession and adhere to the highest ethical standards. Accordingly, this legislation is seen as a necessary response to a recognised alarming rise in cases of sexual misconduct within the health professions. In 2022-23, regulators received 841 allegations of sexual misconduct involving 278 registered health practitioners under the national scheme. This represented a 223 per cent increase over the preceding three years.

Following this, in February 2023, Australian health ministers, via the Health Ministers’ Meeting, agreed to amend the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to improve transparency and provide the public with more information about practitioners who have engaged in serious sexual misconduct. At the Health Ministers’ Meeting, the ministers also agreed that national consistency in the re-registration process was essential, in addition to increased protections for notifiers and prospective notifiers when making a complaint about a practitioner. In July 2024, all Australian health ministers reaffirmed their commitment to these amendments, recognising the urgent need to strengthen protections for patients and whistleblowers whilst ensuring a nationally consistent approach to re-registration for practitioners who have been disqualified.

As host jurisdiction for the national law, Queensland is responsible for enacting these amendments on behalf of all states and territories. By passing this legislation, Queensland is importantly reinforcing its leadership in patient safety and ensuring that the necessary safeguards are in place to protect individuals from harm whilst maintaining public confidence in the healthcare professions.

I turn to the key reforms contained within this legislation. The bill introduces three critical reforms to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law. Firstly, it establishes a nationally consistent process for practitioners whose registration has been cancelled or who have been disqualified from registration. Under the new law, these practitioners will be required to obtain a reinstatement order from a responsible tribunal before they can reapply to a national board for registration. This reform ensures that individuals who have previously engaged in serious misconduct do not simply return to practise without due process. I note that this requirement is already in place in New South Wales and it is only right that we extend the protection across the nation.

Secondly, the legislation mandates that national boards permanently publish additional information on public registers about health practitioners who have been found guilty of professional misconduct, particularly when it involves sexual misconduct. As it stands, the public has limited access to information about disciplinary actions against health practitioners. This reform will improve transparency and empower patients to make informed decisions about their healthcare providers and it will ensure that hospitals and other healthcare employers have the necessary information to protect their patients. Certainly, that is really important for clinical governance processes not only within hospitals but also within other hospital and health services, both public and private.

Thirdly, the legislation strengthens protections for complainants and health consumers by making it an offence to engage in reprisals or actions that would or could discourage individuals from reporting misconduct, preventing the use of non-disclosure agreements to silence victims or limit their right to file complaints and rendering any such non-disclosure agreements void under the law. These measures are essential in fostering a culture of accountability and ensuring that victims and whistleblowers feel safe to come forward without fear of retaliation.

The significance of these reforms cannot be overstated. The statistics are deeply concerning. In 2024 alone, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency received more than 1,156 complaints against health practitioners for professional boundary violations including sexual misconduct, which is a 37.5 per cent increase from the previous year. Of those, 174 complaints were related to practitioners in Queensland.

Sexual misconduct by health practitioners is a profound breach of trust that not only harms individual patients but also undermines public confidence in our healthcare system. Patients rely on their doctors, nurses and allied health professionals to provide care in a manner that is safe, ethical and professional. Any act of sexual misconduct is a violation of that fundamental trust and no Queenslander and no Australian should ever have to experience or tolerate such behaviour. The

814 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

expansion of information available on public registers will help address this issue by making it clear which practitioners have been found guilty of sexual misconduct. By improving transparency, the legislation empowers patients and their families to make better informed decisions about their healthcare providers and ensures that hospital and health services can take necessary precautions when employing staff.

In my remaining time I wish to acknowledge the importance of ensuring fairness and due process for medical and health practitioners. Whilst this legislation takes strong action against sexual misconduct, it is also important to recognise the professional and personal implications for health practitioners who may be accused of wrongdoing. This legislation strikes a balance by ensuring that disciplinary actions are only taken when a tribunal has made a formal finding of professional misconduct. There must be a clear and consistent threshold for behaviour that warrants such a finding, ensuring fairness in the process while maintaining the highest standards of accountability. It is also crucial that these new provisions do not lead to an environment where practitioners feel unfairly targeted. The intention of this legislation is not to create unnecessary fear but to uphold public confidence in the healthcare system and reinforce the ethical obligations of all health professionals. To that end, I wish to acknowledge the various submissions provided by stakeholders to the Queensland parliament’s Health, Environment and Innovation Committee through its examination of this legislation, including from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners as well as the Australian Medical Association.

In conclusion, the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill is an important piece of legislation that will enhance patient safety, increase transparency and ensure serious cases of professional misconduct, especially sexual misconduct, are properly addressed. By introducing a nationally consistent approach to re-registration for disqualified practitioners, expanding the information available on public registers and strengthening protections for whistleblowers and complainants, this bill sends a strong message: sexual misconduct in the healthcare professions will not be tolerated. Patients deserve to feel safe and secure when seeking medical care and health practitioners must be held to the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct. I commend the bill to the House.

Ms BOLTON (Noosa—Ind) (12.46 pm): As we have heard, this bill will amend the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law 2009. Under intergovernmental arrangements, this Queensland law is the basis for all other state laws on health practitioner regulation so it will amend the entire national scheme. That scheme covers all the main types of health practitioners—doctors, nurses, dentists, optometrists, pharmacists and so on—and provides for registration, deregistration and everything in between.

The bill came about because the national regulators that administer the legislation, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, known as Ahpra, and related state health complaints bodies have seen a 223 per cent increase in complaints of sexual misconduct over the three years to 2022-23. These amendments will strengthen the protection for notifiers, expand the disclosure of information about a registered health practitioner with information about sexual misconduct to be on the register permanently and create a nationally consistent approach to reinstating a deregistered practitioner by requiring them to take their case to a state tribunal.

During the inquiry, four key issues emerged from the public hearings and the submissions. The first issue is that deregistered medical practitioners wanting to be re-registered will have to go to a tribunal and then a board to get re-registered. The Queensland Law Society pointed out the potential duplication of effort with two parties involved in the decision-making process and that, as they are independent, they could make different decisions, in which case what would occur. However, the department responded that the two decision-making bodies fulfil substantially different roles and do not overlap. The tribunal makes an assessment that a medical practitioner who has been disqualified is in a position to apply for re-registration and the medical board makes a separate determination as to whether they are still medically qualified. As we see, each makes a different and independent assessment and both are needed if the applicant is to be re-registered.

The second issue is the definition and threshold of sexual misconduct. In their submission, the Australian Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons observed that there is no definition of the term ‘serious sexual misconduct’ in the bill or in the national law. The notes to the bill say that this is necessary to avoid conflict with any historical decisions of the tribunal. Other organisations, such as the QLS and the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union, also raised concerns about the lack of a concrete definition and that health practitioners need standardisation.

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 815

My fellow committee members shared these concerns and recommended that: the explanatory notes and/or the bill be amended to clarify the legislative threshold for sexual misconduct; and, during the implementation of the bill, the Australian Health Ministers’ Meeting consult further with relevant stakeholders around the practical operation of the definition. I thank the Minister for Health because it has been worthwhile to see the committee’s recommendations actually taken on board.

The third issue was raised by the Australian Medical Association. Whilst it supports the bill, the AMA emphasised ongoing concerns with support for the wellbeing of health practitioners, with a 2023 Ahpra report identifying 16 suicides of practitioners who were subject to regulatory notification. Addressing this needs to be an urgent and ongoing focus of Ahpra, working with medical practitioner organisations.

Finally, stakeholders raised the issue of the inadequate time for consultation on this bill. This is happening too often, and I have raised this on numerous occasions over the years. The Australian Medical Association’s submission referenced the Commonwealth Office of Impact Analysis’ guide on best practice, stating that between 30 and 60 days is usually appropriate for effective consultation, with 30 days considered the minimum. In this case, submissions were open for only three weeks, and that was over a holiday period. Most organisations close or slow down over holiday periods, with many non-government organisations run by volunteers not available over the holidays. Realistically, consultation should be extended a month to take into account those holiday periods. We should be aiming for parliamentary committees to have a minimum of 12 weeks to complete inquiries, and more time over a holiday period. This parliament should be setting a standard of best practice in consultation.

Finally, I thank my fellow committee members, the committee chair and our secretariat for their work on the inquiry report and I thank all who submitted. It was deeply appreciated. I send our gratitude to all of our medical practitioners who do an incredible job, with a special shout-out to those in my electorate, who are outstanding.

Mrs YOUNG (Redlands—LNP) (12.51 pm): I rise today to speak in support of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. This parliamentary sitting week, our government has had a keen focus on community safety. I commend the Attorney-General for the work she and her department have done in that space this week.

In my electorate of Redlands, the need to feel safe in our homes and in our places of work has been front of mind. Whilst we have introduced youth crime laws to tackle brazen lawlessness, there are other forms of personal safety we must also focus on.

Visiting a health professional for what can often be very personal matters requires an unwavering level of trust. We put our health and the health of our loved ones in the hands of the experts. Unfortunately, and to the detriment of patients, there has been a significant increase in the number of complaints of sexual misconduct made against health practitioners. People have a right to know if their healthcare provider has a regulatory history relating to sexual misconduct, and that is what this bill will deliver.

This bill will make more information available about practitioners with a history of sexual misconduct to restore the trust and safety of patients when visiting their health practitioner. This will allow people to make more informed decisions about provision of their health care and also provide hospital and health services and other healthcare employers with the information they need to better protect their patients.

The bill requires the national boards to publish on the public registers the tribunal findings of professional misconduct that are based on sexual misconduct. In 2024, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency reported more than 1,156 complaints against health practitioners about professional boundary violations, including sexual misconduct. This was an increase of 37.5 per cent from the previous year. Of those complaints, 174 related to practitioners working in Queensland. People seeking professional help for their health concerns deserve to feel safe and should not be subjected to a potential run-in with one of those offending practitioners.

Sexual misconduct can cause harm and long-lasting trauma to patients. It can also damage community confidence in the safety of services provided by health practitioners. It is an egregious breach of trust and something that no Queenslander should have to tolerate. I am supporting this bill to protect my constituents in Redlands and assure their safety when engaging in health advice or visiting their local health professional.

816 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

This bill will make three reforms to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to improve public safety and transparency of information. As the host jurisdiction, Queensland is responsible for amending the national law on behalf of all states and territories. The national law amendments were agreed by the health ministers of all states and territories and the Commonwealth in July 2024. I am pleased our government is delivering this bill not only for Queenslanders but for all Australians.

The first reform will require practitioners whose registration has been cancelled by a tribunal, or who have been disqualified from registration, to obtain the tribunal’s approval before they can reapply to a national board for registration. The second reform contained in this bill will require the national boards to permanently publish additional information on the public registers about practitioners whom a tribunal has found to have engaged in professional misconduct based on sexual misconduct. The third reform contained in this bill will strengthen protections for complainants and health consumers.

The bill will also amend the Health Ombudsman Act 2013 and the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 to ensure these reforms operate effectively in Queensland. The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 is just another way the Crisafulli government is focused on the safety of Queenslanders.

Dr O’SHEA (South Brisbane—ALP) (12.56 pm): In addressing this bill, I would like to first acknowledge the work of my colleagues on the Health, Environment and Innovation Committee, all the submitters who provided contributions and the secretariat for their hard work in supporting the committee with its review of this proposed legislation. This bill will amend the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and the Health Ombudsman Act 2013. The national law is designed to protect the public by ensuring only health practitioners who are suitably qualified to practise in a competent and ethical manner are registered. I should inform the House that I am registered as a medical practitioner, now non-practising, with the Medical Board under Ahpra—the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

The bill will amend the national law in three ways. Firstly, it will establish a nationally consistent process for health practitioners to apply for re-registration after a tribunal has either cancelled their registration or temporarily disqualified them from registration. At the moment, in all jurisdictions other than New South Wales, a practitioner can apply directly to their health profession’s national board for re-registration following a period of disqualification. The amendment to the national law will require all cancelled or disqualified practitioners to first obtain a reinstatement order from a responsible tribunal before applying to a national board for re-registration. This is the current practice in New South Wales.

Secondly, the national law will be amended to expand the information available on the public register about practitioners who have engaged in professional misconduct involving sexual misconduct. The final amendment will provide greater protections for people who make notifications or assist regulators during investigations about registered health practitioners.

When reviewing this bill, I was concerned about the amendment related to the permanent and retrospective publication on the public register of disciplinary action against health practitioners. I will first explain why this amendment has been proposed and then elaborate on my concerns with it. In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the number of allegations of sexual misconduct against registered health practitioners, which is why the Australian health ministers agreed to amend the national law to expand the information on the public register for practitioners who have engaged in serious sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct by a health practitioner betrays the trust inherent in the practitioner-patient relationship and can have devastating effects on the patient.

As a doctor, the safety of patients and their right to make fully informed decisions about their choice of healthcare professionals are of vital importance to me. The increase in the number of complaints of sexual misconduct against health practitioners is why our laws need to be strengthened. This bill will increase transparency to better protect the public. While there is a need to strengthen our laws, it must be understood that the overwhelming majority of our doctors, nurses and other health practitioners work tirelessly caring for their patients in an ethical and highly competent manner.

Debate, on motion of Dr O’Shea, adjourned.

Sitting suspended from 1.00 pm to 2.00 pm.

3 Apr 2025 Private Members’ Statements 817

PRIVATE MEMBERS’ STATEMENTS

Crisafulli LNP Government, Performance Hon. CR DICK (Woodridge—ALP) (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (2.00 pm): This week

revealed the true character of the Crisafulli LNP government. This week Queenslanders were able to look behind the veil—to see behind the facade of fake propriety and observe the rotten core and toxic DNA that really drive this government. This week we had our suspicions confirmed. Queenslanders should not listen to the superficially reasonable, middle-of-the-road commentary from the Premier. Those words are not genuine. This is a government of deformed character with a radical agenda that is rooted in the party’s crooked past.

The evidence of what I say is and has been on full display this week. The Crisafulli LNP government’s stated intention to appoint a notorious figure from the days of the Fitzgerald inquiry to the Electoral Redistribution Commission confirms it does not possess a moral compass. To make such an appointment would be a failure of character, a blight and a debasement of our democracy. It would demonstrate a complete lack of integrity and constitute a betrayal of Queenslanders. This is what the Courier-Mail stated in today’s editorial— The infamous gerrymandering of Queensland’s rural and regional electorates under the Joh Bjelke-Petersen-led National Party distorted the rules in favour of the government and saw them hold on to power for decades without majority support. It was a system that cynically trampled on what should be the central tenet of Australian democracy—that of one vote, one value.

This is what Tony Fitzgerald had to say— The fairness of the electoral process in Queensland is widely questioned ... It has not always been obvious that the electoral commissioners were independent of the government ... There is a vital need for the existing electoral boundaries to be examined by an open, independent inquiry as a first step in the rehabilitation of social cohesion, public accountability and respect for authority.

Such an inquiry should be conducted by a person or group of people of undoubted integrity whose judgment will be acceptable to all political parties and the general community.

The intention of the LNP government, led by Premier David Crisafulli, to appoint John Sosso to the Electoral Redistribution Commission does not pass any sort of impartiality test, including, as the Courier-Mail says, ‘the pub test’. One vote, one value is the principle central to a fair and truly democratic electoral system. The decision by the Crisafulli LNP government to appoint John Sosso to the Electoral Redistribution Commission is a case of one vote, no value—no value for democracy; no value for Queenslanders. What we have seen this week is the opposite of what Queenslanders expect—

Mr Watts interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Member for Toowoomba North. Mr DICK:—open, fair— Mr Watts interjected. Mr DICK:—impartial, independent. Because that is what this government is—the opposite of all

those true Queensland values.

(Time expired)

Mr SPEAKER: Member for Toowoomba North, I called you about three times. You are now warned.

Western Queensland, Weather Events Hon. DF CRISAFULLI (Broadwater—LNP) (Premier and Minister for Veterans) (2.03 pm): One

can yell and audition all they like, but if two from the right go to the left that leaves you left right out. I want to update the House on the situation in Western Queensland and start by saying that there

is some good news for Thargomindah with the water receding for the first time in a long time. In fact, it is now down a little over 60 centimetres, which is excellent. We continue to monitor Hungerford, Cunnamulla and Longreach, although levels are not expected to reach a peak where homes will be inundated, which is tremendous.

818 Private Members’ Statements 3 Apr 2025

We are getting communities back on their feet. I can report to the House that mains power is back on in both Jundah and Adavale. I want to thank the energy minister for that. We will have to energise homes, of course, but there is a big clean-up to go. I have met residents from both of those proud little towns—some in Quilpie and some in Longreach. They are strong and stoic, but they will need our help.

I can update the House that just moments ago we received a few more surveys that have shown the number of lost livestock has gone past 150,000. However, the losses in magnitude have slowed. I do believe that, sadly, that number will continue to rise in the days ahead. What this shows is that the fodder resupply is giving hope. We have to continue to do that. We also have to make sure that there is fresh water in the days to come and get those beasts to safe and higher ground. Sadly, I can report to the House that the fence damage has gone from the 3,482 kilometres I said yesterday to 4,552 kilometres. That is a lot of lost fencing, and we have to do a significant rebuild.

I want to refer to the goodwill and spirit of the community that is working around the clock to help everybody in every way, shape and form. Residents would have heard the call to arms and the rallying of truckies wanting to deliver fodder to their mates. A good recovery is also about removing the roadblocks and helping communities rebuild in their hour of need. We will continue to do that.

I want to thank everybody for the spirit they have shown. The messages I have received from those in the city and those in other rural areas not impacted about wanting to lend a hand to people shows the kind of Queensland spirit that is on display. We have to do everything we can to remove those roadblocks to enable the Queensland spirit to shine and enable communities that are doing it tough to know that we have their back. I thank everyone for the role they have played in that regard.

Oxley Medicare Urgent Care Clinic; Crisafulli LNP Government, Performance Ms PUGH (Mount Ommaney—ALP) (2.06 pm): I am so excited to rise and update the House on

the Oxley Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, located at Canossa Hospital, which has now seen thousands of patients since it opened late last year. I am pleased to inform the House that, as of 1 April, this clinic’s opening hours have expanded from 8 am to 8 pm to 8 am to 10 pm seven days a week, including public holidays.

This fabulous clinic is fully federally funded and bulk-bill. It sits right on the border of the federal electorates of Oxley and Moreton. I have been out with both my federal candidates this week—with Milton at Darra train station. From 6.30 on Monday morning we spoke to dozens of locals who were so excited to have this free clinic in our community now open until 10 pm. Julie-Ann and I were speaking to people on Monday morning outside the Oxley shops. The excitement about this asset was high. As a local member, I am so grateful to have somewhere to send a mum with a sick bub late on a Monday evening or a local soccer player from St Cats to get her suspected broken bone checked after her game on a Saturday.

In the time I have left, can I say how disappointed I am in the decisions of the LNP government in the healthcare space. In addition to the unnecessary renaming of the satellite hospitals, there are now reports circulating that the cancer centre could be delayed until 2031. It does not stop there. This Crisafulli government has put a stop to—they call it a pause—accessing hormonal treatment for young trans patients in the public system. I have been contacted by a large number of impacted families from my community who are desperate. They are devastated at this situation. They are heartbroken that politicians are interfering in healthcare decisions.

People in my community are also concerned about the pill-testing program that is not going to be happening anywhere. The AMA endorsed this program. It stated— The detection of these substances in wastewater suggests the product may have been disposed of there. However, the uncertainty whether these substances were consumed by individuals first raises significant public health concerns.

Even in tiny amounts these opioids can be fatal, posing significant risks to individuals.

These alarming findings underscore the urgent need for harm reduction strategies, including permanent pill testing services.

This is even more important given we know people are purchasing unknown medicines online to try to make ends meet. Economic pressures can drive individuals to seek cheaper, unregulated alternatives, often unaware of the deadly risks involved. The rise of counterfeit pharmaceuticals containing highly potent synthetic opioids means that ... Without regulated testing users remain vulnerable to these hidden dangers. We ... urge the Queensland government to prioritise public health and reinstate these pill-testing services ...

So do I. I table the document. Tabled paper: Media release, dated 20 March 2025, titled ‘Calls for permanent pill testing services amid opioid threat’ [308].

3 Apr 2025 Private Members’ Statements 819

Western Queensland, Weather Events Hon. A LEAHY (Warrego—LNP) (Minister for Local Government and Water and Minister for Fire,

Disaster Recovery and Volunteers) (2.09 pm): Warrego locals have rallied behind each other during this severe weather event. It is people like these—mates helping mates—who make these communities so special. But these communities are not out of the woods yet. More rain has drenched the Warrego catchment north of Charleville last night and into today. They are pushing up dirt in Hungerford, preparing for an unprecedented flooding event. There are many farmers who will be impacted along the way.

Frontline workers continue to work around the clock as communities respond to this devastating disaster. The Charleville airport is a hive of activity, with supply efforts that continue throughout the south-west, and the Cunnamulla airport is playing its part, as are those two councils. The workers out there are tired, but they keep working for impacted Queenslanders. Homes in Eulo have been inundated. Water unfortunately overtopped the levee bank and the community is now facing the clean-up and also being cut off from the community at Thargomindah. It is a priority of the Crisafulli government to raise the Eulo bridge and it is my priority as well.

In Thargomindah, the floodwaters have inundated the main street, the council chambers as well as dozens of homes. The destruction extends to Queensland’s livestock. Across the region, our crucial cattle, sheep and goat industries, as well as our resources industry, have been impacted. We still do not know the full extent of the impacts on our opal-mining industry around the Quilpie area and also around the Yowah area. The stock losses are climbing into the hundreds of thousands and, as we heard earlier, they continue to rise.

Primary producers are faced with a long road to recovery. I want them and their communities to know that we will be there to support them through their recovery, every step of the way. I also know that with the loss of telecommunication services many primary producers are unable to complete their disaster assessments and surveys. If this is the case, I reach out to them and encourage them to get in touch with my electorate office. We will do what we can to support you as quickly as we can.

We will continue to work with all departments, all levels of government and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority to ensure that Western Queensland can recover and rebuild. It will be a long road to recovery. I know that these floodwaters will not wash away our collective resolve. We will be there for every step of the disaster recovery journey. I also want to extend my thanks to the Premier, to the member for Gregory and to the Minister for Primary Industries for the way they have embraced my electorate and spent time out there with the people and the communities during particularly their time of need. I know that we will be heading back out to the likes of Quilpie, Eromanga and Thargomindah with the Minister for Primary Industries. I think that is a really important thing to do to show our support for those communities.

Housing Supply Ms MULLEN (Jordan—ALP) (2.12 pm): ‘Too much’—that is what the LNP said about Labor’s plan

to increase housing stock in our state. Now there are no truer words for the LNP government: ‘too much’ housing at Arundel, where the Minister for Housing rejected the potential for 650 homes, including affordable homes, for key workers, young renters and aging Gold Coasters—

Mr Bennett interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Member for Burnett! Ms MULLEN: ‘Too much’ housing in Birtinya on the Sunshine Coast, where the Deputy Premier

and Minister for Planning rescinded a ministerial infrastructure designation decision—something never done for affordable housing—for 90 apartments targeted for essential workers and literally a 300-metre walk from the Sunshine Coast Health Precinct; and ‘too much’ affordable housing in LNP seats. Goodness, we would not want working people in those electorates. They might start voting Labor!

What about modular social and government employee housing? Is that too much? We know that modular homes can help people get out of temporary accommodation faster, with onsite construction taking only three months compared to a year for many traditional builds.

Mr Bennett interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Member for Burnett, this is your last caution.

820 Private Members’ Statements 3 Apr 2025

Ms MULLEN: In fact, the National Productivity Commission in its recent paper on housing construction productivity commended Queensland’s modern methods of construction and made recommendations that all governments increase the uptake of prefabricated and modular construction.

Last year in the state budget Labor locked in 600 modular homes to be built by Queensland businesses and the state’s public builder, QBuild. With 215 of those homes either completed or contracted for places like Bundaberg, Longreach, Gympie and the south-west, the former Miles government had released tenders for another 250 modular homes. Six months on from tenders going out, the LNP government is yet to tell Queenslanders whether those tenders have been finalised, when the homes will be built or if they have cancelled them. What is going on?

Modular homes are designed to be built quickly, but under the LNP they are languishing while more Queenslanders are ending up homeless. The Minister for Housing has spent more time and energy pulling the plug on hundreds of homes in his own community or cutting the ribbon on Labor’s projects than building new homes.

I made a request to see what is currently being built at the government’s Rapid Accommodation and Apprenticeship Centre at Portsmith when I was in Cairns last week. I gave 10 business days notice to the minister—no response. I sent a follow-up email—no response. Then less than 24 hours before the visit—denied. I am curious as to why I could not visit the hardworking QBuild staff to see what they were building at the RAAC. Perhaps, just like the review of the Queensland hospital expansion program, the only thing I was likely to see was cuts, downsizing and delay. Perhaps it was just like their appointment of John Sosso—dodgy. ‘Too much,’ the LNP say. Tell that to those who are desperately seeking homes in our regional communities.

Skilling Queenslanders for Work Hon. RM BATES (Mudgeeraba—LNP) (Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and

Training) (2.15 pm): I would like to highlight one of the initiatives in the employment and training space: Skilling Queenslanders for Work. This initiative empowers unemployed and underemployed Queenslanders to attain the skills, qualifications and experience needed to enter or remain in the workforce.

Through Skilling Queenslanders for Work, dedicated community organisations receive funding to deliver tailored training and support for a broad range of our community including young people, women re-entering the workforce, veterans and ex-Australian Defence Force members and their families, people recently released from prison, mature-age jobseekers, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The impact of this initiative is significant. More than $849 million has been committed to the initiative, with major investment to secure the workforce for industries like construction, primary industries, community services and many more. To date, over 96,000 Queenslanders have been assisted under Skilling Queenslanders for Work, and many more will continue to be assisted under the Crisafulli LNP government. More than 63,000 individuals have secured employment as a direct result of their participation.

In January this year I was pleased to announce the results of the latest funding round. It provided almost $50 million to support 201 projects that will deliver life-changing training for more than 6,000 unemployed and underemployed Queenslanders. Today I am pleased to update the House that a broad range of applications have been received as part of the first 2025-26 funding round of Skilling Queenslanders for Work.

To assist eligible organisations, information sessions have been held across the state to provide guidance on funding access, identifying local priorities and maximising opportunities for jobseekers and employers. By mid-2025 we expect to reach a new milestone—supporting more than 140,000 Queenslanders. I thank all eligible organisations who applied for funding in the most recent round of Skilling Queenslanders for Work, and I look forward to speaking more about the outcome of this program going forward.

More broadly, I continue to work across the sector to ensure that the vocational education and training spaces are sustainable, whilst providing the pipeline of skilled workers our state needs. This of course includes TAFE, which is a key provider for many young and mature people who are commencing apprenticeships or working towards qualifications in one of the industries experiencing a skills shortage,

3 Apr 2025 Private Members’ Statements 821

thanks to a decade of neglect from the former Labor government. Right now, over 27,400 apprentices and trainees are training in TAFE. Only the LNP Crisafulli government has the right plan to give Queenslanders the fresh start they deserve.

(Time expired)

Yarrabilba, Health Services Mr POWER (Logan—ALP) (2.18 pm): It is truly bizarre listening to a party talk about Skilling

Queenslanders for Work when they spent 10 years railing against it and when previously in government they cut it. I can see members sitting on their own front bench, including the member for Mudgeeraba, who voted to cut it in budget after budget. They knew that it helped ordinary Queenslanders but they wanted to save money and they did not care. I wonder whether the member for Toowoomba South was thinking, ‘Oh, that was one of the budget savings we were going to put in place.’

Ms Bates interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Member for Mudgeeraba, you have had your turn. Mr POWER: We are truly in upside-down world when those opposite talk up Skilling

Queenslanders for Work after they voted to cut it. Southern Logan and Yarrabilba in particular have the fastest population growth in Queensland. In the last two years it has been even faster than Coomera’s. People in Yarrabilba and Logan Village are crying out for better health services. That why they supported it so strongly when I announced with then premier Steven Miles that we would build the Yarrabilba satellite hospital. It was designed to provide services in Yarrabilba to the residents of Yarrabilba. I would have loved for it to be in the first round, but I made the argument that it would relieve pressure on the Logan Hospital emergency department and we got it in the second round.

Our satellite hospitals provide care from eight to 10, seven days a week, offering out patient and diagnostic services. That would have meant fewer ambulance trips to nearby urgent care at either Beaudesert or Logan hospitals. Logan residents had already extensively used the Eight Mile Plains satellite hospital. They talked it up extensively. They knew how good it was and they knew it was vital to have a local satellite hospital. I told them they had already taken care of 160,000 Queenslanders. Despite this success—or perhaps because of this success—the LNP always hated satellite hospitals. They renamed them and I am not confident of their long-term future. I do not have confidence because they are refusing to build the Yarrabilba satellite hospital.

Opposition members: Shame! Mr POWER: That is right. Despite making promises to Queenslanders to create local health

services, they are not building the Yarrabilba satellite hospital. They looked through the list of planned projects announced by Labor and they said ‘No, these are for the LNP chopping block.’ If they believed their promises, they could have matched our investment in the health of Yarrabilba. Instead, they chopped this vital project. Let’s not forget the nurses and doctors who would have made their homes in Yarrabilba so they could work locally. Their dream of working locally and helping out their neighbours is also on the chopping block.

Who remembers the big promises the LNP made in their right wing priorities document? In fact, there is a quote here that I am a big supporter of. It says, ‘Queenslanders deserve a world-class health system they can rely on no matter where they live.’

(Time expired)

Nanango Electorate Hon. DK FRECKLINGTON (Nanango—LNP) (Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and

Minister for Integrity) (2.22 pm): I want to give a big shout-out to yourself, Mr Speaker, because Mr Speaker brought youth parliament to Kingaroy. What a fantastic success it was! The Kingaroy Town Hall was turned into a mini parliament. It was wonderful to see students from Coolabunia, Moffatdale, Gin Gin—in the member for Callide’s electorate—Nanango, Taabinga, Windera, Woolooga and Yarraman state schools participate so passionately. Their little debates were incredible, Mr Speaker, as you saw. I really thank the teachers and all of the helpers who were there with those school students. They had a fabulous day. It is truly inspiring to see those young school students engage so thoroughly with the democratic process. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I also thank the member for Callide for coming

822 Private Members’ Statements 3 Apr 2025

to Kingaroy. I loved being there with you both. Thank you particularly to the Parliamentary Education Team for their tremendous effort in making that event possible and their school visits across the Nanango electorate.

I would like to place on the record in this House the wonderful contribution to my region of Dr Tom Doolan from the Kilcoy Medical Centre. I congratulate Dr Doolan on his well-deserved retirement after an incredible 44 years of service to the Kilcoy and wider Somerset community. His commitment, care and expertise have made a lasting difference in so many lives throughout the Somerset community. As Tom and Julie step into an exciting new chapter, I wish them all very best. Dr Tom, enjoy every moment; you have certainly earned it. I should add that any doctors who are looking for a job and would like to go west, please come to Kilcoy. It is so close. It is beautiful. It is a great community to live in and you would be warmly welcomed. How great is the Somerset region.

On Saturday night Jason and I went to the Toogoolawah Legends of Beef dinner. It was fantastic. Proceeds went to the Toogoolawah State High School’s agricultural program. When I was first elected to this place, the former Bligh government had cut the ag funding programs to schools. We reinstated them, and now they fundraise by using the Toogoolawah Show Society and the annual beef dinner. I thank Brisbane Valley Farm Direct and of course Duncan, Tricia and all their team. It was a fabulous night with world-class chefs. The food was amazing. There were about five courses—all beef. Like I said on the night, eat more beef!

Nuclear Energy Mr McCALLUM (Bundamba—ALP) (2.25 pm): Alarm bells went off through Queensland’s energy

sector yesterday when the Treasurer and energy minister were asked a very simple and clear question in question time: whether he would stand against Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan. In his reply, he said that it was a question that was irrelevant to Queensland. He said that it was a decision for Canberra, notwithstanding the fact that Dutton’s plan is to build two nuclear reactors in Queensland, one at Callide and the other at Tarong, which are currently state owned power stations. Has there ever been a more egregious case of a minister who is not across his brief? This is the minister who is tasked with looking after our energy system. This is one of the two ministers who is a shareholding minister in the companies that own the power stations that Peter Dutton wants to turn into nuclear reactors, and yesterday in his answer he said, ‘It’s not relevant to Queensland. That’s a decision for Canberra.’

It is entirely relevant for the state of Queensland that, in a mere few weeks, we might have a federal government that wants to build two nuclear reactors in our state. No wonder that under the LNP Crisafulli government Queensland is currently a state without an energy plan, a state that is suffering from rising bills and large cuts to energy projects. We saw the disinterest from this government as recently as last Monday. I was at the Townsville Green Energy Forum, an annual event where the Townsville community comes together to talk about investment, job creation and the opportunities that come with a clean energy transition. I was very proud to be there on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition because Labor cares about jobs and investment in clean energy.

Mr Speaker, I will tell you whom I did not see there: I did not see a minister from the government. They could not be bothered turning up. I did not see one of the new three MPs from the city of Townsville—the city that just voted them in. They could not be bothered to turn up for jobs and investment in their own town. It is absolutely disgraceful. That community is worried about cuts and downsizing to critical projects like CopperString. We have seen the cuts; there are more coming. We are a state that is adrift when it comes to energy under the LNP.

Maroochydore Electorate Hon. FS SIMPSON (Maroochydore—LNP) (Minister for Women and Women’s Economic

Security, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Minister for Multiculturalism) (2.28 pm): The green and gold runway to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games is good for Queensland and it is good for my area of the Sunshine Coast. I am excited by the LNP’s 2032 Delivery Plan, which was released last week. It is the most significant infrastructure commitment in the history of the Sunshine Coast to upgrade transport and venues in the Maroochydore electorate. This multibillion dollar investment will leave a real legacy for our economy and our community. It will address today’s growing pains and future opportunities. This is in addition to our housing policies to unlock more homes. This critical transport and economic infrastructure will happen. It is not over the horizon. It will be in place in time for the Olympics and Paralympics.

3 Apr 2025 Private Members’ Statements 823

Compare this to what happened under Labor. They were supposed to get on with it more than 1,000 days ago and they did nothing. They got off track and they stalled. What is worse is that in the very poor plans they had in place for the Sunshine Coast there was no connection into the greater public transport network from Maroochydore. There was no mass transport under Labor’s plan. They had a huge gap and nothing was planned, not even fast buses. We are going to have a metro from the Sunshine Coast Airport. It is not a bus; it is on dedicated lanes through the Mooloolah River Interchange, which Labor cut. Federal Labor and state Labor cut the Mooloolah River Interchange.

Under the LNP, this congestion-busting upgrade will ensure that traffic as well as mass transport can flow. It was cut by Labor and now it is enabled and on track with the LNP. It is critically important that this mass transit system and the Mooloolah River Interchange that Labor cut go ahead, and we have got this on track. It is happening; it is a game changer that is a legacy for today. It will get traffic from the airport using a mass transit system. It will be flexible, accessible and seamless.

In addition to that, the cultural, sports and arts centre will be built in the middle of Maroochydore, and there will also be an athletes village. Labor did not have those plans; they did not even have a fast bus. We are going to have a fully integrated metro from the airport right through into the city—not a car park at Caloundra, which was Labor’s inept plan. I am delighted that this plan is about getting back on track.

Newmarket State School Hon. ML FURNER (Ferny Grove—ALP) (2.31 pm): I am extremely proud of my record on

infrastructure growth and delivery in my local state schools in the Ferny Grove electorate over the last 10 years. Not the least of this is the four school halls I have been able to deliver: at Mitchelton State High School, Oakleigh State School, Patricks Road State School and the double-sized hall at Ferny Grove State High School. Each of these pieces of infrastructure is providing incredible amenities for our local community. I want to commend the education department and the previous Labor education ministers for their input into the designs and building plans for those facilities and commend them on their incredible work.

I have one school which until recently—despite serving the community for over 100 years—never really had the critical mass of students to warrant the education department building a hall. However, only last year the department recommended the building of a sports and performing arts hall for Newmarket State School. Over the last 10 years Newmarket State School has experienced a dramatic increase in student numbers.

Since 2017, when the school was included in the redrawn boundaries of the Ferny Grove electorate, I have strongly advocated for the school. The result of this advocacy was eight new GLA classrooms, a specialty music room as well as a new staffroom and a specially designed courtyard for students. At the last election, in response to the department’s decision that the school now warrants a hall, the Miles government committed to building Newmarket State School a hall if it was re-elected. Sadly, we know the result of that. Notwithstanding that, since 2015 the Labor government has funded and delivered 27 new schools to support our communities. We open schools; the LNP closes them. The Miles Labor government’s 2024-25 budget provided record funding of $20.9 billion to deliver schools the teachers and resources our young Queenslanders need.

While the Premier says ‘when governments give up on integrity they give up on governing in the interests of Queenslanders’ but rubberstamps the appointment of Mr Sosso, contradicting his values, I call upon the education minister to make sure he does not go down the same road as his Premier but upholds his integrity and provides this new hall. He is on record saying that he is not a teacher. Notwithstanding that, he needs to hold his integrity and make sure he delivers on his responsibility under his charter letter as the Minister for Education and delivers this new hall for Newmarket State School. It is a hall that was committed to by the department—a hall that this new LNP government should deliver fulsomely and thoroughly in the coming period.

Western Queensland, Weather Events Mr DILLON (Gregory—LNP) (2.34 pm): I rise to continue my contribution regarding the advice

and provide more updates around the unfolding flooding situation occurring in my electorate and the electorate of Warrego. We have spoken a lot about the hard infrastructure, but I am sure, given the scenes that are unfolding on our TV screens, in our newspapers and on our social media, that a lot of members will return to their electorates after this week in parliament and be confronted by people who ask what they can do to help the people of Western Queensland.

824 Private Members’ Statements 3 Apr 2025

I commend the local governments, the state authorities and the relevant ministers for the way they are handling the crisis management that comes with a disaster. Following that, there is so much soft infrastructure that requires considerable work—and this is something that Queenslanders across the state are, sadly, used to. Many Queenslanders—whether they be coastal in the north, urban in the south or in the centre of the state—have had to, unfortunately, clean their homes and businesses following a flood over the last few decades. They are aware of a lot of the things that can happen.

The problem in Western Queensland is that neighbours are not 50 metres away; they are dozens of kilometres away and are all consumed by the same problem. Electricians and mechanics will be at the top of the list of skills that individual businesses, properties and towns will require. A lot of these properties have the heavy equipment they need, but that equipment has just been submerged. There is a need for basic servicing of a lot of that machinery and an undersupply of mechanics in those western areas to undertake that work quickly. It is the same with electricians and electrical inspections. I am aware that local governments are undertaking those inspections with approved contractors to get people into their homes, but the sheds and shearing sheds of Western Queensland will require the same.

I also point to the stock water points. Something that is not known about flooding events as serious as this is that cattle and sheep will actually perish because the water they are surrounded by is too heavily silted for them to consume. There is a need to return water to troughs and get water infrastructure back on track. That does not necessarily require a plumber; it just requires two willing sets of hands to help these people out. The assistance that is required cannot be handled haphazardly. The local governments are a great touchpoint, so if there are people in members’ electorates who are asking to help, please put them in contact with the local governments or district disaster coordinators.

In my last few seconds, I place on record my thanks to the SES volunteers I met in Longreach yesterday. They had travelled from Sarina, Mackay and Gladstone, and I thank those communities for that. Can I also name—and this is a dangerous thing—the district disaster coordinator inspector, Chris Smith, and all of the QPS staff who have managed this disaster so well in my electorate.

Children, Hormone Therapy Ms BUSH (Cooper—ALP) (2.37 pm): On 19 February I wrote to the health minister seeking an

urgent meeting with families from my community who have been directly impacted by the health minister’s decision to pause publicly funded gender-affirming care to minors in Queensland. That was 43 days ago and these families are still waiting for a meeting. In fact, our office is still waiting for a response from the health minister. That is appalling. It is appalling to have Queenslanders who have an urgent medical need waiting for more than a month for just a response from an elected member and a minister.

This week we celebrated the Trans Day of Visibility, and I thought what better way to bring visibility to this House than to share the views of impacted families from my electorate directly to the minister for his benefit. Lexi, who is 17 years old, said— Gender affirming care, including testosterone blockers and HRT gave me the chance to live my life authentically as the person I was always meant to be. If I had been denied this treatment, I can guarantee you that I would not be alive today.

Peter and Kelly, parents to a trans daughter, said— How very sad and inhumane of you to pause puberty blockers and HRT. You are not our child’s medical team and you do not get to dictate or withhold their treatment.

A mother I will call Kate said— I would like to understand why Mr Nicholls believes there exists a group of people to whom healthcare does not apply. Cisgender kids access these medications every day. They are tried, and tested, and safe.

Kelly, a mum of a transgender daughter, said— Without the option of commencing hormone therapy it is very likely that she would have given up on her will to live.

Matt said— Decisions like yours send a message to the community that trans people don’t belong. It makes the bullies feel right.

Xaria said— Gender-affirming care saved my life. I wouldn’t be here without it—and neither would many others. Being trans is hard. Most people don’t know what it’s like to fear walking down the street.

3 Apr 2025 Private Members’ Statements 825

I have numerous stories here—from Cinta, Leah, Erica, Kristie, Sean. I will table them all, including the response I have from the Anglican Church Archbishop of Brisbane, Jeremy Greaves, who has also submitted correspondence and is still waiting for a meeting. In fact, he is still waiting for a response from the minister himself. Tabled paper: Bundle of correspondence relating to the receipt of gender-affirming care [309].

Another quote states— The LNP wants a Queensland that is free from discrimination, a place where individuals are respected and all are free to live safely within their communities. We are cognisant that many Queenslanders have been disrespected for their lived identities. Their stories are powerful and discriminatory behaviour should be called out.

These are the words of the now health minister during the 2023 debate on the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Bill in relation to identity documents for trans people. Minister, let’s put the clinicians back in charge and restore these vital, life-saving services to vulnerable Queenslanders.

(Time expired)

Burleigh Electorate, Community Safety Mr VORSTER (Burleigh—LNP) (2.40 pm): I am proud to be part of the Crisafulli LNP government

which is delivering a fresh start for Queensland and my community of Burleigh. Our local plan is inspired by thousands of conversations that mean our lifestyle will be protected. Above all else, it will mean safety where we live. The safety of our community has always been, and will always remain, my top priority. It is why, as a councillor, I led a campaign to bring the Community Camera Alliance to Varsity Lakes. It is why I helped found Gold Coast District Neighbourhood Watch Inc., and it is why I secured funding for community crime fighters. It is also why I funded an aggressive expansion of CCTV into parks, around community centres, along our roads and in our commercial centres. In this place, I will do even more.

To the men and women and small businesses of the Burleigh electorate, I want you to know that I hear you. From Old Burleigh Town to Frascott Pack, from Azzurra Island to the cul-de-sacs of Varsity Sound, from the quiet streets of Burleigh Waters to the hills of Burleigh Heads and through to Koala Park, and along the length of Palm Beach: I hear you. You want a government that will restore safety where you live.

Today, I recommit myself to supporting tough legislation that tackles the Labor crime crisis by restoring consequences for action. I recommit myself to supporting our hardworking police with new powers and more resources. I recommit myself to defending the rights of victims who must always— always—come first. I recommit myself to doing what Labor could not do or would not do—that is, restoring our relaxed coastal atmosphere with a $4.1 million package to make Burleigh safe, just as we said we would.

Whereas Labor cut positions in the Palm Beach police district and closed down police beats across the Gold Coast, the Crisafulli government will deliver a permanent police beat in Burleigh Heads with more money for local police. We will deliver more CCTV, and we will deliver a million-dollar boost for safety initiatives on Friday and Saturday nights. These are iron-clad guarantees, and I am working with the police minister and the Attorney-General to deliver them.

Labor’s crime crisis left our community scared—scared in our homes and scared in our streets— and Labor is trying it again, running a ridiculous scare campaign about our commitment to action. It is the only tactic they have left because they have run out of ideas and have no genuine sympathy for victims. I will be part of a government that makes Burleigh safe.

Tourism Industry Mr HEALY (Cairns—ALP) (2.43 pm): I have been contacted by a number of tourism operators

raising deep concern over the direction of our state’s tourism industry and where it is being steered under the Crisafulli government’s 20-year tourism master plan, referred to as Destination 2045. While long-term vision is crucial, this plan introduces uncertainty at a time when our industry cannot afford hesitation. It disrupts the strong momentum built under Towards Tourism 2032, a plan that not only was well-researched and strategically phased but also had the full backing of the tourism industry.

We cannot ignore the reality that Queensland’s tourism sector is struggling. Recent data from the Queensland Tourism Industry Council paints a sobering picture. Forward bookings are plummeting, occupancy rates across our major tourism hubs are significantly down, flight searches have dropped

826 Private Members’ Statements 3 Apr 2025

by 26 per cent and consumer confidence remains low. Instead of acting decisively to address these urgent issues, the government is pressing pause on a strategy that was working, leaving our industry in limbo.

Under Towards Tourism 2032, our state had a clear road map—a structured, three-phase plan that focused on building immediate demand, evolving the sector in response to changing visitor trends, and ultimately leveraging the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to establish Queensland as Australia’s premier tourism destination. This strategy was developed through extensive consultation and was already being implemented with targeted investments in marketing, infrastructure, aviation and new tourism experiences.

By contrast, Destination 2045—the only person who promoted that was the Premier—does not offer a tangible plan at all. It is merely an idea under consultation. While the government claims it wants to hear from Queenslanders, we must ask: why is this government replacing a well-supported, action-driven strategy with a drawn-out consultation process? The industry needs stability and confidence, not delays and uncertainty.

The timing of the shift could not be worse. The figures show alarming declines across our major tourism markets. Cairns occupancy is down 26 per cent year on year. Gold Coast forward bookings have dropped by 20 per cent. Townsville, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast are all experiencing double-digit declines in visitation, not to mention the massive detrimental impact of the current and recent floods impacting on regional Queensland.

This is not the time for government to pause and reflect. This is a time to act. The industry is calling for stimulus, targeted investment and immediate confidence-boosting initiatives, not endless surveys that will delay solutions. This government must listen to the industry and recognise that leadership means building on progress, not dismantling it.

Hervey Bay Fire and Rescue Service Mr LEE (Hervey Bay—LNP) (2.46 pm): I rise in strident support of our hardworking Hervey Bay

fire and rescue service. During the state election, Queensland Labor pitched a misleading and deceptive story that they had ‘delivered’ a new Hervey Bay fire and rescue service building. I wonder what the member for Pine Rivers has to say about that. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

I table the following: an extract from the State Budget 2024-25 capital papers, a Labor Delivered for you flyer, and a copy of the former Hervey Bay Labor member’s adjournment speech. Tabled paper: Extracts from the Queensland Budget 2024-25: Budget Capital Statement—Budget Paper No. 3 [312].

Tabled paper: Flyer for the former member for Hervey Bay, Mr Adrian Tantari [311].

Tabled paper: Extract, dated 23 May 2024, from the Record of Proceedings, Queensland Parliament, of a speech by the former member for Hervey Bay, Mr Adrian Tantari, during the adjournment debate [310].

The facts are that Labor have not delivered a new fire and rescue station—an inconvenient truth for Labor. We all know Labor will inevitably take the low and predictable road and falsely claim the Crisafulli government cut the unfunded Hervey Bay fire and rescue project. The facts disclose a very different story.

In 2022, Queensland Labor announced it would build a new fire and rescue station at Hervey Bay and subsequently acquired 6,000 square metres of land in 2024. However, acquiring a block of land does not amount to building a new fire and rescue service. The facts are that this new state-of-the-art fire and rescue service station is not even identified in the 2025 capital budget papers.

The former Labor member for Hervey Bay then made express and implied pre-election representations to the Hervey Bay community to mislead the electorate into the erroneous assumption that a new Hervey Bay Fire and Rescue Station had been delivered. The former Labor member for Hervey Bay said in an adjournment speech on 23 May 2024, ‘I told them we would deliver this new state-of-the-art station and that has been done.’ The former Labor member for Hervey Bay may arguably have misled the House. He then distributed Delivered for you flyers throughout the Hervey Bay electorate, misleadingly claiming a new fire and rescue station. In desperation, the vacant site was adorned with temporary construction, fencing and banners. The desperate former member for Hervey Bay simply peddled mistruths and misinformation.

3 Apr 2025 Private Members’ Statements 827

Our hardworking Hervey Bay fire and rescue service personnel deserve more than Labor’s slick slogans and vacuous promises. I am deeply conscious of Kipling’s ‘unforgiving minute’ and will fill every minute with strident advocacy on behalf of our hardworking fire and rescue personnel. Our Hervey Bay electorate deserves better.

Youth Hon. LM LINARD (Nudgee—ALP) (2.49 pm): I am really proud to be the shadow minister for

youth in Queensland, because young Queenslanders are incredible. They are astute, frank, fearless, resilient, engaged, creative and passionate, and they want to have a say about the things that matter to them, but they do not feel that this LNP government is listening. They certainly do not think this LNP government is talking about the things that matter to them. Premier David Crisafulli has appointed a Minister for Youth, according to his charter letter, responsible for night-time economy and Youth Parliament, and those things are important. I am a big supporter of Youth Parliament. It provides an incredible opportunity for young people to engage in the parliamentary process. To give the Minister for Youth his due, he always turns up to Youth Parliament and he is a nice guy. It is also his job—and the LNP government’s job—to turn up on the things that matter most to young Queenslanders.

What are young people saying? I will relate their words. They are worried about affording a home, yet the ‘anti-affordable housing minister’ protected a golf course over an affordable housing project, and the first laws the new LNP government passed were to give them powers to axe affordable housing projects. Young Queenslanders tell me they are worried about the environment and climate change, yet those opposite scrapped the Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro project and have absolutely no plan for energy transition or to achieve net zero. News flash: sector plans alone will not do it. Those opposite know it. We know it. We know the modelling. Young people are feeling cost-of-living pressures keenly, yet they now have an LNP state government that is not focused on talking about real cost-of-living measures. It will not even answer a question or advocate to the federal LNP to support HECS debt relief—a Labor initiative. Thank you, Albo.

Young people care about access to public health care, yet what we have seen from those opposite is a health minister who has axed pill testing. This is a harm minimisation program which saves lives and is backed by medical professionals. Too bad; it is gone. We have seen hormone therapies for trans youth in Queensland banned, in a decision that is not based on evidence but, rather, ideology. Young people do not need ideology; they need a government that supports them and they deserve a space to be themselves and have their voices heard. Young people care about the education system in Queensland, but the LNP government has no plan or vision. Of course, we cannot blame the education minister: he has told us he is not a teacher—it is not his job. Young Queenslanders deserve so much better and we will not let those opposite forget it.

Pumicestone Electorate Miss DOOLAN (Pumicestone—LNP) (2.52 pm): It has been an exceptionally busy few weeks

across Pumicestone. I am excited to talk about our recently launched Pumicestone Business Excellence Awards. These awards celebrate the dedication, innovation and resilience of local small businesses and highlight the incredible talent and hard work that underpin our community. Among the standout entries, I am particularly delighted to mention the Coastal Pest Control Group and the Sandstone Point Veterinary Surgeons, who have received a large amount of nominations in multiple categories. Their exceptional service and commitment to our community exemplify what these awards are all about.

Recognising such outstanding businesses not only highlights their success but also strengthens our local economy by increasing their visibility and connecting them with new opportunities. I say to my community: remember, nominations are still open but will close on 15 April, so if you have not nominated a business yet head to my website. We also have our first brewing business networking event with special guest minister Andrew Powell, a casual catch-up where local business owners and professionals come together to network. This will be taking place at the Bribie RSL on 24 April. I am very much looking forward to it.

In addition to celebrating local business success, it is equally exciting to see the Bribie Island Road upgrade in progress. This much needed project aims to improve transportation for our growing community by duplicating lanes from Old Toorbul Point Road to just east of Saint Road. Moreover, the installation of traffic lights at Volz Road and Browns Road will enhance both safety and traffic flow, ensuring smoother commutes for everyone.

828 Private Members’ Statements 3 Apr 2025

We owe thanks to Terry Young, the federal member for Longman, who played a crucial role in securing $20 million in federal funding for this project back in 2021. His efforts have not gone unnoticed. The Crisafulli LNP government is pushing this project forward because we know how to get the job done. With work already underway, including early vegetation clearing, every effort is being made to minimise environmental impact while enhancing our local infrastructure across the electorate. This project not only represents a significant improvement in our daily commutes but also reflects our commitment to safety and efficiency within the community.

We also had the pleasure of welcoming the Minister for Health, Tim Nicholls, to the Bribie Island Satellite Health Centre, where he reaffirmed the Crisafulli LNP government’s commitment to improving health access in our community. Minister Nicholls met with locals Roxy and Kim, who enjoy a quick, two-minute commute to work, and Geraldine, who is benefiting from the new cancer care service. This service offers low-risk chemotherapy and supportive treatments and allows patients to receive care closer to home, avoiding long trips to distant hospitals. I am proud that our government is expanding and delivering much needed healthcare services to our community. We remain dedicated to supporting the wellbeing of Pumicestone residents.

Glencore, Copper Mine Mr KATTER (Traeger—KAP) (2.55 pm): Glencore made an anticipated announcement

yesterday to confirm the closure of copper mining in Mount Isa. This should be a concern for everyone in this House. This is a business that has been there for 100 years, pumping money into the economy. Everyone in this House should take an interest in this because if we want to pay for the Olympics, Cross River Rail and so on, we need big industries going. If we turn our backs on them, they do not just go on forever. We need to take notice of them and provide fertile ground. We need to ensure the right owners are in place to conduct those activities.

We provide mining leases in this state. We give them the privilege of mining and investing. As long as they partner, head in the same direction and abide by the conditions we impose upon them in this state, they get that privilege. Glencore have said, ‘This does not meet our investment criteria,’ which is a higher bar than a lot of other junior miners in this company. They have said, ‘We have six other big copper mines around the world. Let’s park this one up and let’s get rid of 1,200 people and make them redundant.’ They are trying to say it is 500. It is not. A lot of people have already left, so they are misleading the public by saying it is only 500. It is 1,200 people who have gone. In a city of 18,000 people, that is a pretty big deal. Townsville went on about Queensland Nickel. There were 800 jobs lost in a population of 200,000 people. We are talking about 1,200 jobs in a population of 18,000 people. It is a pretty big deal.

It is also a big deal for this House. We should pull the likes of Glencore into line and say, ‘Buddy, if you are not going to mine it, you will have to move away and sell it to someone who will.’ I can assure members that there are other mining entities in that region. In Australia and across the world, everyone is trying to get their hands on copper. We are saying that we will be a great minerals province, but this does not just happen; you need to facilitate it.

The government needs to stand up and say, ‘Glencore, if you are not going to do it then move aside and let someone else do it.’ We need a special economic zone to address the bundle of problems we have with Glencore. The smelter are now going to put their hand out for more money. If they want more money, there needs to be shared equity—shared ownership with other people. It needs to be community-based infrastructure, consistent with a special economic zone.

In relation to the construction of CopperString, we need Powerlink out of the road. We need that connected in and we need the gas reserve policy to plug into that. None of this happens unless the Queensland government is assertive. We should not be dictated to. The future of copper production and mining in this state should not be dictated by a board of commodity traders in Switzerland. It should be done by the representatives of the people. If they do not choose to share the vision of growth in Queensland, they should be punted to allow someone else that does.

Run Army 2025 Dr ROWAN (Moggill—LNP) (2.58 pm): Last Sunday in Brisbane there was an extraordinary

show of community support for our Australian Defence Force service men and women, as well as our emergency services personnel, with a record-breaking 2025 Run Army event. With 8,000 participants taking part in Run Army Brisbane for 2025, this remarkable event reinforces the deep respect and gratitude our community holds for the Australian Army, for our veterans and for various emergency

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 829

services personnel. As assistant minister to the Premier and Leader of the House in the Queensland parliament, I was honoured to represent Premier David Crisafulli at Run Army 2025 and to personally take part in the event. I want to acknowledge and congratulate the Australian Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart AO, DSC, as well as Run Army President, Major General (Ret’d) Jake Ellwood DSC, AM, CSC, for their ongoing support and leadership of this incredible event.

Run Army supports those who are there for our state and nation. This event again had the involvement of Queensland’s first responders including from the Queensland Police Service, the Queensland Fire Department, our Ambulance Service, the State Emergency Service and Surf Life Saving Queensland. The participation of our first responders not only enhanced the event but also helped raise much needed funds for charities like Legacy Australia, which has steadfastly supported the families of our defence personnel since 1923. As a Legatee and serving member of the 2nd Health Battalion, I was delighted to raise funds for Legacy Brisbane.

Also last month I had the honour of attending the 83rd Bangka Island Massacre Commemoration Service hosted by the Defence Service Nurses RSL Sub Branch. I joined Major General Stephen Day DSC AM, Colonel Kerry Gallagher AM, Councillor Julie Dixon as well as serving nursing members of the 2nd Health Battalion at this service in solemn remembrance of the unarmed Australian nurses and wounded allied soldiers who were brutally massacred in Indonesia on 16 February 1942.

As we approach Anzac Day we also prepare to honour the legacy of all Anzacs and acknowledge the sacrifices made by past and present members of our Australian Defence Force. Across the electorate of Moggill numerous Anzac Day services will bring together students, families and residents to reflect on the spirit of service and mateship that defines our nation.

This year I will also be attending several other important commemorations including the 2025 University of Queensland Medicine Anzac Day Memorial Service, hosted by Brigadier Michael Reade AM, as well as other services facilitated by the Kenmore-Moggill RSL Sub Branch, and the annual Shell Green T20 Memorial Cricket Match to be held at the Brookfield Showground on Anzac Day. As we gather to remember, let us ensure that the legacy of the Anzacs lives on in our actions, our communities and the values we uphold as Australians. Lest we forget.

COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

Portfolio Committees, Reporting Dates and Referral of Auditor-General’s Report Dr ROWAN (Moggill—LNP) (Leader of the House) (3.01 pm): I seek to advise the House of the

determinations made today by the Committee of the Legislative Assembly at its meeting. The committee has resolved, pursuant to standing order 136, that the Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee report on the Making Queensland Safer (Adult Crime, Adult Time) Amendment Bill by 16 May 2025 and the Police Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill by 23 May 2025; and that the Governance, Energy and Finance Committee report on the Corrective Services (Parole Board) Amendment Bill by 23 May 2025.

The committee has also resolved, pursuant to standing order 194B, that the Auditor-General’s Report 10: 2024-25—Insights on audit committees in local government be referred to the Local Government, Small Business and Customer Service Committee.

HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION NATIONAL LAW AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading Resumed from p. 816, on motion of Mr Nicholls—

That the bill be now read a second time.

Dr O’SHEA (South Brisbane—ALP) (3.02 pm), continuing: While there is a need to strengthen our laws, it must be understood that the overwhelming majority of our doctors, nurses and other health practitioners work tirelessly caring for their patients in an ethical and highly competent manner. Given the grave professional and personal ramifications for a health practitioner of being identified as having engaged in sexual misconduct, in reviewing the proposed amendment it was important to balance the

830 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

rights of patients and their need for protection with the rights of practitioners. The importance of getting this balance right is pointed out by the Australian Medical Association, the AMA, in its submission to the inquiry where it states— We do believe it is entirely possible to have a scheme that ensures the public is protected without derailing the lives and careers of the doctors who have dedicated their lives to patients and communities but we do not currently have that system. This was demonstrated in 2023 when Ahpra released a report that identified 16 deaths by suicide and four instances of attempted suicide or self-harm among practitioners who were subject to regulatory notification.

These deaths were over a four-year period to 2021.

There are two aspects that concern me about the amendment related to expanding the information available on the public register regarding practitioners who have engaged in professional misconduct involving sexual misconduct. Firstly, there was a lack of definition of the threshold for sexual misconduct that would result in permanent and retrospective publication on the public register of disciplinary sanctions related to a health practitioner. During the public hearing the AMA stated that, although they do not oppose the permanent publication of the regulatory history where there has been a serious sexual misconduct violation, there is— ... still some lack of clarity around the definitions. It would seem that more consultation or thought needs to be given to what the threshold is.

Defining the threshold is essential given the proposed amendment would apply if a practitioner was found to have behaved in a way that constituted professional misconduct, whereas sexual misconduct was not the sole or main basis for the tribunal’s decision, as the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union observed. They stated— We also note that the bill provides that to initiate the publication requirements, sexual misconduct does not need to be the principal behaviour for the tribunal’s findings of misconduct.

When asked during the public hearing if the AMA were supportive of the proposal in the bill to publish the regulatory history of a practitioner regarding findings of professional misconduct where the finding of misconduct is not solely sexual, the AMA responded that they opposed this proposal. They stated in their submission— Sanctions imposed on practitioners by tribunals need to be proportionate to the seriousness and nature of the conduct.

These concerns regarding defining the threshold for publication in the bill were addressed by the committee in recommendations 2 and 4. In response to these recommendations, the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services has clarified the legislative threshold for sexual misconduct by amending the explanatory notes to state that the threshold for publication has been limited to only tribunal findings of professional misconduct based on sexual misconduct. I thank the minister for responding to these recommendations.

The second concern I had with this bill was the introduction of a provision for a national board to infer from a tribunal’s report that a finding of professional misconduct was based on sexual misconduct. The Queensland Law Society raised this issue in their submission, stating— If a Tribunal has not expressly determined that sexual misconduct is a basis for its finding, the Board should not be required or permitted to make its own inference about the finding. Allowing or requiring the Board to make this determination is not appropriate and undermines the authority of the Tribunal, which has heard all of the evidence in the proceedings.

The Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union stated in their submission— If the bill is passed, the QNMU advocates for a framework for all National Boards to use which examines what is ‘discretion to infer’ and the context around that the inference must be ‘necessary’.

This new proposal for a national board to infer from a tribunal’s report that a finding of professional misconduct was based on sexual misconduct is of particular concern given that a practitioner can appeal a tribunal panel’s findings and have a merits review where their case is reviewed by the tribunal. However, practitioners would have to challenge the legality of the national board’s decision through judicial review. During the public inquiry the Queensland Law Society reflected this concern, stating— It is the society’s position that there ought to be a process for a merits review. It is generally less expensive to seek a merits review than to go through a judicial review, which is a more longwinded process and takes up a higher court’s time.

These concerns were addressed by the committee in recommendation 4 and recommendation 3. In response to these recommendations, the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services decided that a national board’s decision to publish a health practitioner’s regulatory history would not be able to

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 831

be appealed through the tribunal but, instead, would require judicial review. This is disappointing particularly given the retrospective nature of this bill. Notwithstanding this, the opposition strongly supports the passage of this bill to strengthen our laws to protect public safety and to increase transparency for the public to enable them to make fully informed decisions about their choice of healthcare professionals. I commend the bill to the House.

Miss DOOLAN (Pumicestone—LNP) (3.09 pm): Today I rise to speak in support of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. This bill is crucial in ensuring public safety and enhancing transparency within our healthcare system. As the host jurisdiction of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, Queensland holds the responsibility to enact and amend the national law on behalf of all states and territories. The national law governs the registration and accreditation of 16 health professions, including medical and nursing professions. It is integral to maintaining the standards that Australians expect from their healthcare practitioners.

In July 2024 health ministers from all states, territories and the Commonwealth approved amendments to the national law. These amendments addressed significant concerns surrounding practitioners who engage in sexual or other serious misconduct. The bill before us today seeks to give effect to these amendments. The public has the right to know if their healthcare provider has a regulatory history relating to sexual misconduct. Transparency in this area is essential as it allows people to make informed decisions regarding their health care.

This bill will require national boards and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, Ahpra, to publish additional information on the national registers about practitioners found by a tribunal to have engaged in professional misconduct involving sexual misconduct. This includes the tribunal’s findings, sanctions imposed and a link to or copy of the tribunal’s reasons. This reform is vital, because professional misconduct of a sexual nature is the most serious form of misconduct under the national law. It fundamentally breaches the trust placed in healthcare practitioners, causing harm to patients and damaging the community’s confidence in healthcare services.

In 2024 Ahpra reported over 1,156 complaints of professional boundary violations including sexual misconduct, representing a 37.5 per cent increase from the previous year. Of these, 174 complaints related to practitioners in Queensland. As the member for Pumicestone, I know that health care is a top priority of our community. Recently our health minister visited the Pumicestone electorate, highlighting the ongoing commitment to ensuring that healthcare services in our region remain safe, reliable and trustworthy. Pumicestone is home to many dedicated healthcare professionals who serve our community with integrity and compassion. Last week I met with locals Roxy and Kim, who work at the Bribie Island Satellite Health Centre providing exceptional client care and who know how important it is that our community members feel safe and supported when seeing their nurse or doctor. It is essential that we uphold the trust that patients place in our healthcare providers. This bill will help ensure that residents in Pumicestone and across Queensland feel confident when accessing healthcare services.

The bill also makes it an offence to engage in reprisals against individuals who make complaints about registered health practitioners or provide assistance to regulators. This protection is crucial for maintaining a safe environment for complainants to come forward without fear of retaliation. Furthermore, the bill prevents health practitioners and healthcare employers from using non-disclosure agreements to limit a person’s right to make a complaint. Such agreements will be deemed void if they restrict the reporting of misconduct. This change ensures that any attempt to silence victims through legal means is firmly prohibited.

Another important aspect of the bill is the introduction of reinstatement orders. Practitioners whose registration has been cancelled or has been disqualified must now obtain a reinstatement order from a tribunal before applying to the national board for re-registration. This measure aligns Queensland with New South Wales and ensures that practitioners cannot easily return to practise after committing misconduct without thorough oversight.

Consultation on these reforms began in January 2024 involving patient advocacy groups, sexual violence support organisations and professional bodies and the public. The consultation process received 217 submissions, most of which were supportive of the proposed changes. While there were some concerns, particularly around privacy and potential delays in reinstatement processes, these have been carefully balanced to ensure that the public’s right to safety remains our priority.

832 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

The cost of implementing these changes will be managed within the existing resources allocated under the Queensland budget, with significant support already planned for QCAT to manage reinstatement order cases. The reforms are not just about holding practitioners accountable but also about ensuring public safety remains the cornerstone of our healthcare system. This bill sends a strong message that Queensland will not tolerate sexual misconduct within our healthcare system. It upholds the right of patients to know whom they can trust with their care and ensures health practitioners are held to the highest standards of professional conduct.

As the member for Pumicestone, I am committed to ensuring that my community has access to safe and trustworthy healthcare services. By supporting this bill, we not only protect the residents of Pumicestone but also strengthen the integrity of health care across Queensland. I urge all members to support this important bill. By doing so, we will protect the public and restore trust in our healthcare system and demonstrate our commitment to maintain the integrity of healthcare professionals.

Ms HOWARD (Ipswich—ALP) (3.15 pm): I rise to contribute to the debate on the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill. When we are at our most vulnerable, we deserve to be cared for and treated by health practitioners whom we can trust. Sexual misconduct and other serious misconduct by health practitioners is a serious violation of this trust. This bill, introduced originally before the last state election by the previous Labor government and reintroduced by the LNP government in December 2024, will establish more safeguards to protect patient safety. Sadly, there has been an alarming increase in the number of complaints of sexual misconduct by health practitioners, with over 800 complaints received across Australia in 2022-23. Patients must be certain that the health practitioner who is responsible for their care is someone they can trust. Any violations of trust by a health practitioner not only are traumatic for victims but also risk the public’s confidence in Queensland’s health system.

The bill amends the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law by establishing a nationally consistent process for practitioners to regain registration after their registration has been cancelled or disqualified; it will increase transparency for the public about disciplinary action against health practitioners who have been found by a tribunal to have engaged in serious sexual misconduct; and it will strengthen protections for notifiers or complainants and clarify consumer protections in relation to non-disclosure agreements about the health, conduct or performance of health practitioners.

These amendments are all about building the public’s trust in our health system. I am proud to have been a member of the previous Queensland Labor government that invested heavily in building our public health system’s capacity after the former Newman LNP government dismantled it. Just as a reminder, it sacked 4,400 frontline health workers, it sacked 1,800 nurses and midwives, and it cut $1.6 billion from the Queensland health budget. When Labor was re-elected to government in 2015—I remember it well—we had to rebuild our decimated hospital and health system to restore the public’s confidence in this sector, and over the course of our government we employed 21,000 more frontline health workers.

Mr NICHOLLS: Mr Speaker, I rise to a point of order in relation to relevance to the long title of the bill. This has nothing to do with the legislation currently being debated, in my submission.

Ms FENTIMAN: Mr Speaker, on the point of order: I bring the health minister’s and your attention to the Queensland parliament committee report. It talks about how there is context to this bill which is about the national law. The national law’s guiding principles include public confidence in the health system. The member was talking about public confidence in Queensland Health and the health system.

Mr SPEAKER: Member, can you assure me that you are talking to the committee report? Ms HOWARD: I certainly will. Mr SPEAKER: Okay. I will listen closely. Ms HOWARD: Thank you, Mr Speaker. In 2024-25 we invested a record $28.9 billion into the

state’s health system to ensure all Queenslanders had access to world-class health care.

Mr NICHOLLS: Mr Speaker, I rise to a point of order. There is no reference in the committee report to the subject matter of the member’s current presentation to the House. It deals with the subject matter of this bill and not with anything extraneous to it as the member is trying to introduce, in my submission.

Mr SPEAKER: I will seek advice from the clerks at the table. Member, I would ask you to come back to the long title of the bill, if you would, please. You have strayed a bit.

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 833

Ms HOWARD: Certainly—no problem at all. In my community we have seen a lot of interest in what is happening in the health space. In fact, yesterday I was with my colleagues at Ipswich Hospital. The social media post has generated a lot of interest in the matter. Being one of the fastest growing LGAs in Queensland, health is at the forefront of the minds of my constituents. When we built the Ripley satellite hospital we saw a 24 per cent drop in non-urgent presentations at emergency departments. We are on track to build more than 3,378 new hospital beds by 2031-32—in Ipswich, 200 extra beds as part of the stage 2 development expansion—and that is well underway.

Mr NICHOLLS: Mr Speaker, I rise to a point of order, again on relevance. This bill and its long title are clearly directed to the manner in which people can report and be reported to Ahpra and OHO in relation to sexual misconduct. It has nothing to do with how many beds there are, when they are being built or any of those issues. They are extraneous to the subject matter of this bill. They are not covered in the report. The member is clearly straying beyond the long title of the bill.

Ms FENTIMAN: On the point of order, your ruling yesterday was that anything contained in the committee report or anything from submitters in relation to the bill could be considered relevant. The comments from the member were in the context of having confidence in the public health system. That is absolutely one of the principles of the national law. I bring you to page 2 of the committee report which outlines the principle of the national law. Talking about having confidence in the public health system should be relevant to this bill.

Mr NICHOLLS: If I might address the point of order, your statement yesterday says ‘comments in relation to the bill’. In my respectful submission, the member’s comments are not in relation to the bill. The bill and the long title are quite clear in what they are addressing.

Mr SPEAKER: I am reading page 2 and it is talking about public confidence in the safety of services provided by health practitioners and students in Australia, regardless of the state or territory the care is provided in. If you could bring your comments to that specific thing, that would be appreciated.

Ms HOWARD: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Everybody who goes to the Ipswich Hospital will be affected by this bill. Everybody who goes to every Queensland hospital will be affected by this bill. It is important that I talk about that in my area. I am concerned about the future of the Ipswich Hospital stage 2 expansion, as are many of my constituents who are interested in this bill.

Mr NICHOLLS: Mr Speaker, I rise to a point of order. My point of order again goes to relevance in relation to the subject matter of the bill. You have identified what the committee report says. I would ask you to bring the member back to the subject matter of the bill.

Mr SPEAKER: I do agree with that point of order. I would ask you to come back to the public confidence in the safety of the services provided. We are not talking about building hospitals here. If you could come back to the actual confidence in the safety of the services.

Ms HOWARD: Thank you. I will do that. As somebody who has a daughter who is an anaesthetist and a sister who works at the Sunshine Coast Hospital, I want to give a shout-out to those health workers who do an extraordinary job. I am also someone who, in my twenties, was the victim of harassment by a health professional on two different occasions. It really is a very isolating, terrifying feeling. This bill will address that and I am pleased to see it going through.

I am incredibly supportive of the intention of the bill, as are many of my constituents. I think, like all members in this House, one of biggest issues that our constituents have is in relation to health: concerns they have about treatment of family members, concerns they have about wait times and concerns they have about ambulance ramping. My job as the local member is to ensure that people’s health needs are met. This bill does go some way towards doing that, so I am pleased to be supporting it here.

The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill, which was introduced first by a Labor government under a Labor health minister, will strengthen our confidence in medical and health professionals through greater transparency and improved public safety measures that will protect all Queenslanders and I support it.

Hon. DK FRECKLINGTON (Nanango—LNP) (Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity) (3.24 pm): I rise to support the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill. I congratulate my good friend, the member for Clayfield and Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, for the hard work that he is putting into restoring the confidence

834 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

Queenslanders have in the health system, which we know has been languishing for 10 years under those opposite, going from bad to worse. It is interesting to follow the member for Ipswich who knows full well that the health system in Ipswich under the former Labor government was a complete basket case.

Ms Fentiman: That’s why she was returned to this place. Mrs FRECKLINGTON: There we have the hubris and the arrogance. I take that interjection:

‘That’s why she was returned to this place.’ I hope that the acting Manager of Opposition Business can work with our health minister to fix the health system.

My constituents, as do all Queenslanders, have the right to be privy to important information about health practitioners whom they visit for medical assessment. They deserve to know if their healthcare provider has a regulatory history relating to sexual misconduct. This enables them to make informed decisions about their healthcare options. Unfortunately, my electorate of Nanango has for some time had a shortage of general practitioners. Like many other regional areas in Queensland, communities in my electorate have fewer healthcare options meaning patients have limited choices as to whom they seek medical help from. This makes it even more important that information about their provider is available and provided in that transparent manner.

Data from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency shows there has been a 37.5 per cent increase in professional boundary violations, including sexual misconduct—174 violations related to practitioners working in Queensland. These instances not only cause long-lasting trauma to victims but also impact community confidence in the safety of our public health services. In regional areas we simply cannot afford this when already our public healthcare services are stretched wafer thin.

I note Queensland is the host jurisdiction for the national law—as Attorney-General that is very relevant—which provides the legal framework for the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for all health professionals. Each jurisdiction then applies the national law through local legislation which allows each state and territory to ensure it applies it in a way which is locally responsive.

Turning to the reforms outlined in the bill, the first implements a requirement already in place in New South Wales for practitioners, whose registration has been cancelled by a tribunal or who have been disqualified from registration, to obtain the tribunal’s approval before they can reapply to a national board for registration. This is a common-sense change that will protect the interests of Queenslanders who are rightfully seeking access to health care.

Secondly, and importantly for transparency, national boards will be able to permanently publish additional information on the public registers about practitioners whom a tribunal has found to have engaged in professional misconduct based on sexual misconduct. Currently, under national law there is a requirement for national boards to publish active disciplinary sanctions on the public register which must then be removed at the end of the sanction. There should be no reason why practitioners with serious sexual misconduct history should have that information removed from the register. It prevents both patients and potential employers from making decisions in their best interests and with all the relevant information at hand.

The third reform contained in the bill is the strengthening of protections for complainants and health consumers. The explanatory notes emphasise that the strong reporting culture amongst practitioners and consumers ensures health professionals are upholding the standard of conduct for safe and ethical practice. Health consumer protections will be strengthened by making it an offence to engage in reprisals and other actions that could discourage persons from making notifications about registered health practitioners, preventing the use of non-disclosure provisions to limit a person’s right to make a notification and rendering such provisions void. These protections will help ensure consumers are aware of their right to complain to a regulator and they are not silenced by non-disclosure agreements that do not explicitly spell out this right.

Lastly, I place on record my appreciation of all of the hardworking health professionals across the state, particularly those in the Nanango electorate and right across regional Queensland. I give a shout-out to an extremely hardworking regional practitioner who is based in Moree and has just become a midwife. It is my daughter Lucy.

Mr Nicholls: We want her back in Queensland. Mrs FRECKLINGTON: We do want her back in Queensland. Mr Nicholls: We’ve got a job for her.

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 835

Mrs FRECKLINGTON: Thanks, health minister. Lucy is a registered nurse and, after catching the requisite number of babies, she has become a midwife. I wish her very well in her career. We need more midwives. They are very special, amazing people, particularly those who choose to live in a regional community like Moree—or, indeed, Barcaldine or Blackall, where Lucy started her nursing career. Like my daughter Lucy, midwives are overwhelmingly decent and caring professionals who always go out of their way, sometimes in challenging circumstances, to ensure all regional Queenslanders have access to the same quality of health care as others in the state. The Crisafulli government prioritises the safety, integrity and transparency of our healthcare system, and I support the reforms outlined in this bill, which will help to achieve that.

Mr RUSSO (Toohey—ALP) (3.31 pm): I will start my contribution to the debate on this legislation by discussing the inquiry process. On 11 September 2024 the then minister for health, mental health and ambulance services and minister for women introduced the bill into the Queensland parliament. The bill was referred to the former Health, Environment and Agriculture Committee for detailed consideration. That committee called for and published 14 submissions on the bill before the dissolution of the 57th Parliament on 1 October 2024 which resulted in that bill lapsing. The bill was then reintroduced with substantially identical content, save for some sections being renumbered. The committee contacted submitters regarding the lapsed bill to determine if they wanted to resubmit their submissions, which some submitters chose to do. The committee also called for further submissions, with an additional 11 submitters making submissions. Submissions from both the previous and the current inquiries were considered by the committee in compiling its report on the bill.

As we know, the bill was introduced into this 58th Parliament by the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Hon. Tim Nicholls, and referred to the Health, Environment and Innovation Committee on 12 December 2024. As we have heard, the main aim of the bill is to deal with the large number of allegations of sexual misconduct received by the regulators in 2022-23. The opposition will support the passing of this piece of legislation, which is designed to protect patients when they require the services of a health practitioner. The Health, Environment and Innovation Committee report noted that in 2022-23 the regulators received 841 sexual misconduct allegations concerning 278 registered health practitioners, regarding that as a significant increase compared to previous years.

In February 2023, at the Health Ministers’ Meeting the Australian health ministers agreed to amend the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to enable the public to access information regarding health practitioners. The amendments to the national law are designed to expand the information available on the public register for practitioners who have engaged in serious sexual misconduct. The health ministers agreed that there should be consistency nationally—that is, that there be national consistency regarding the re-registration of practitioners as an essential step in protecting the public from health practitioners who have done wrong to their patients through their behaviour.

I am grateful to the committee chair for his foreword, which helped me understand the aim of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill. The complaints process for health practitioners can be very demanding and the consequences and mental health issues that can arise are significant, as outlined in the chair’s foreword to the committee report. The chair spoke about 16 health practitioners who have committed suicide while involved in the complaints process over four years. I agree with his comment that ‘making the National Scheme safer for all its users is critically important’. He went on to explain that he was confident that the committee’s recommendations and the bill’s implementation would help strike a sufficient balance between patients’ and practitioners’ rights.

At the Health Ministers’ Meeting, the ministers agreed that national consistency in the re-registration process is essential, as are increased protections for notifiers and prospective notifiers when making a complaint about a practitioner. The objectives of the agreed-upon amendments by the Australian health ministers are to protect public safety by establishing a nationally consistent process for practitioners to regain registration after their registration has been cancelled or they have been disqualified from registration by a tribunal and also to increase transparency for the public about disciplinary action against health professionals who have been found by a tribunal to have engaged in serious sexual misconduct. The health ministers agreed that it was also important to strengthen protections for notifiers and clarify consumer protections concerning non-disclosure agreements about health practitioners’ health, conduct or performance.

The committee’s report stated that to achieve these aims the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 amends the national law to require cancelled and disqualified practitioners to seek a reinstatement order from a responsible tribunal before applying

836 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

to a national board for re-registration. It expands the information required on national public registers in order to provide information about practitioners who have been found to have engaged in professional misconduct. As I said earlier, it also provides stronger protections for people who make notifications or assist regulators during investigations about registered health practitioners.

I do not think examining the bill’s context can be harmful. The national law provides the legal framework for the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for all health practitioners, which is administered by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, known as Ahpra. The national law commenced in 2010 with its guiding principle being, firstly, to protect the public and, secondly, to ensure public confidence in the safety of services provided by health practitioners and students in Australia regardless of the state or territory in which the care is provided, which is paramount. The result is that the national scheme administers a singular registration for health practitioners and accreditation of health education providers.

The national scheme regulates an estimated 900,000 health practitioners under the national law, which established 15 national boards to regulate 16 professions. These services range from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practices to Chinese medicine, chiropractic, dental, medical, medical radiation, midwifery, nursing, occupational therapy, optometry, osteopathy, paramedicine, pharmacy, podiatry and psychology.

Importantly, Queensland is the host jurisdiction for the national law, wherein each participating jurisdiction applies the national law through local legislation with variations to suit each locality. The national law is set out in the schedule of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 in line with the amendments agreed to by each state and territory health minister. The national board’s functions include developing and approving standards, codes and guidelines for professions, including codes and guidelines for registered health practitioners, and registering students and practitioners.

Mr BAILLIE (Townsville—LNP) (3.41 pm): I rise to make a contribution to the debate on the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. The public has a right to know if their healthcare provider has a regulatory history relating to sexual misconduct. The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill will make more information available about practitioners with a history of sexual misconduct. To protect the public, all registered health practitioners and employers of registered health practitioners are required by law to notify the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency—Ahpra—if they believe a health practitioner may not be practising safely by engaging in particular types of conduct in connection with their practice.

The Council of Australian Governments established the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme—NRAS—so there would be one scheme for registered health professionals in Australia. The scheme started in 2010 and now covers 16 professions, which includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners, Chinese medicine practitioners, chiropractors, medical radiation practitioners, medical practitioners, nurses, midwives, occupational therapists, optometrists, osteopaths, paramedics, pharmacists, physiotherapists, podiatrists and psychologists. If the member for Surfers Paradise was here, I am sure he could attest that dentists are also identified as registered health professionals under this scheme. Each profession has a national board which regulates the profession, registers practitioners and develops standards, codes and guidelines for the profession. Ahpra administers NRAS and provides administrative support to the national boards.

The obligation to notify applies to all 16 regulated health professions, not only doctors, and impacts over 920,000 health practitioners. You must report a health practitioner for sexual misconduct if you have a reasonable belief they have been, or are, engaging in sexual misconduct in connection with their practice—this includes with a patient under the practitioner’s care or a person related to their patient, such as a parent of a paediatric patient. It applies irrespective of whether the patient consented to or initiated the sexual relationship. Sexual misconduct includes: sexual activity with a current patient, and in some circumstances a former patient; making sexual remarks; touching patients in a sexual way; touching a patient in an intimate area without clinical indication; or engaging in sexual behaviour in front of a patient.

As the host jurisdiction, Queensland is responsible for amending the national law on behalf of all states and territories. In 2024, Ahpra reported more than 1,156 complaints against health practitioners about professional boundary violations, including sexual misconduct. This was an increase of 37.5 per cent on the previous year. Of those complaints, 174 related to practitioners working in Queensland. This bill will give effect to three reforms: requiring a reinstatement order, expanding the information on the national public registers and strengthening protections for complainants.

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 837

The bill will better protect the public from practitioners involved in sexual misconduct, improve how professional misconduct is managed and provide stronger safeguards for complainants. The bill will create a permanent public register where information about tribunal findings of sexual misconduct will be permanently recorded and accessible to the public. Although much of this information is already publicly available, it can be difficult for the public to locate and understand it. Tribunal findings of sexual misconduct will be more accessible when recorded on the register, which can be searched on the Ahpra website. To enable courts and tribunals to protect victims’ identities, published information must comply with any court or tribunal non-publication order. The bill will strengthen statutory protection for people who make, or may make, a complaint under the national law or Health Ombudsman Act.

This bill will provide stronger safeguards for complainants, as it will make it an offence to threaten or intimidate a complainant, take negative employment action against a complainant or cause other detriment to a complainant. The bill will expand corresponding protections in the Health Ombudsman Act to cover threatening or intimidating conduct. The bill will also void non-disclosure agreements— NDAs—because we know that NDAs can sometimes be used as a tool to prevent complaints from ever seeing the light of day. NDAs can be offered when people are vulnerable—when they have been battling to have their concerns validated and just want to make it all stop.

This bill includes strong penalties for the new offences to reflect the seriousness of threats, reprisals and attempts to prevent complaints to regulators. As a father, husband and, thankfully, not too often a patient, I trust the professionals responsible for my health. As an active member of the community in Townsville, I know how much trust we put in our health practitioners when we seek their care, which is often when we are at our most vulnerable.

Betraying the trust that is afforded healthcare professionals is unacceptable. Sexual misconduct can cause harm and long-lasting trauma to patients. It can also damage community confidence in the safety of services provided by health practitioners. However, we must also recognise the serious professional and personal consequences for practitioners accused of misconduct and must consider that not all accusations are found to be of substance. This bill will strike a balance between protecting patients and respecting the rights of practitioners.

In Queensland, in 2021-22, the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal—QCAT— cancelled or disqualified 23 practitioners. In 2022-23, this number was 15. Only a subset of cancelled or disqualified practitioners are expected to seek re-registration. These individuals will have to spend more time and incur additional costs when seeking re-registration. This government has moved to secure a national fix to protect Queenslanders and Australians seeking professional health care.

By progressing this bill, this government is showing its commitment to getting things done and ushering in a new era of transparency and accountability. The Crisafulli government has delivered a bill that is widely supported by the healthcare industry. It focuses on improving public safety, transparency and accountability. This bill will: give regulators the power to act swiftly in cases of serious misconduct, especially sexual misconduct; strengthen reporting requirements to ensure a practitioner’s regulatory history is available to the public; and suspend or impose conditions on practitioners who pose a risk to public safety. The Crisafulli government is committed to restoring trust in our public institutions while ensuring Queenslanders receive the best care available. This bill sends a clear message that public safety comes first, misconduct will not be hidden and regulatory bodies will have the power to act decisively.

Before I finish my contribution today, I would like to place on the record my appreciation for all healthcare practitioners in Townsville. I thank them for their tireless work to keep us all healthy and in our best physical form. This bill has been well received and the amendments have been agreed to by health ministers in all states and territories and the Commonwealth. I commend the bill to the House.

Hon. MT RYAN (Morayfield—ALP) (3.49 pm): I rise to contribute to the debate on the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. From listening to the debate on this bill, I acknowledge that it seems to have bipartisan support—that is, every single member will be supporting it. That is good, because it is good law. It is good law that is not exclusive to one side of politics. It has come from a bipartisan process—the national Health Ministers’ Meeting, which has ministers from both sides of politics on it. In fact, this bill is nearly identical to the bill that was introduced before the last state election. It has been reintroduced. No side has exclusivity over the good law that is being progressed here.

838 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

It is a good debate that we are having on high standards. High standards are very important for a profession which is held in high regard, a profession which is respected and a profession which is well appreciated by the people of Queensland and Australia. It is a profession that engages with vulnerable people—people who are ill, people who are experiencing trauma, people who have seen better days. It is very important that there are high standards for the profession to meet to keep it held in high regard by the community.

We would like to think that the people who are brought to a vocation of serving their fellow citizens in the health sector would always be of the utmost character and always be of the utmost integrity. We know that from time to time there will be people who do not meet those standards, which is why we need to have safeguards and processes in place like the ones we are reinforcing in the bill today.

The genesis of this bill comes from the national Health Ministers’ Meeting. It was primarily in response to the significant increase in reports of sexual misconduct against health practitioners. This is, of course, a concern. I would question the minister whether or not there is a view that it is not only around increased detection but also around increased confidence for people to come forward to report these matters. That is then a reflection of the robust framework that has been put in place by the national health ministers over the years and hosted by Queensland. Queensland should rightly be very proud that we lead the nation when it comes to this framework and bear a great responsibility for ensuring the framework remains robust and individuals have confidence in it so that they will come forward and make complaints against health practitioners.

There are three main things that we are seeing advanced through this bill. The first is around additional public information on the public registers about the regulatory history of practitioners who have engaged in sexual misconduct. The second is around a process for re-registration, which I think is very important and has my strong support. The third is around greater protections for those who come forward and make complaints.

The system must be robust so that people have confidence in it and people are accountable for their actions. I am also a big believer in having a system which is preventive rather than reactive. I would like to think that, as a result of the changes we are making, we do not just prevent people from engaging in this terrible conduct, which has lifelong impacts on the individuals, but we deter them from the profession altogether. If they know the system is robust, if they know the system has consequences and if they know they will be detected for their misconduct then that may prevent them from engaging in that conduct or prevent them from using this very lofty profession as a way for them to inflict harm on others.

I want to make a comment around attempts by speakers on the government benches to decouple the issue of safety and prevention of sexual misconduct and consequence in, say, the doctor’s room from the broader workplace. We cannot decouple these things. We cannot say that it is relevant because it has happened to a patient but that it is not relevant that it may happen to a colleague or someone else in the workplace, like a pharmaceutical representative who might come in to a doctor’s surgery to talk to the doctor. We cannot decouple bad behaviour in one interaction with a patient from bad behaviour in another interaction with a work colleague, a contractor or a visitor.

That is why there have been some comments from the opposition benches regarding our concerns around the pause on the Respect at Work and Other Matters Amendment Bill. We cannot decouple a medical practitioner’s conduct in the workplace and what that might say about their character, their record or a pattern of behaviour.

It is concerning that the government has chosen to pause the Respect at Work and Other Matters Amendment Bill. That framework is not something that can be decoupled from this framework. Those frameworks work hand in hand and it is about integrity in our system.

Mr NICHOLLS: Madam Deputy Speaker, I rise to a point of order on relevance to the bill. I have been listening with pleasure to the member for Morayfield for the last 7½ minutes and I thought we were going to get the whole way through with a great contribution. Despite his very ingenious attempts to get around it, he is not being relevant to the long title of the bill and I would ask you to bring him back to subject matter of the long title, as the Speaker has done with previous speakers.

Ms MULLEN: Madam Deputy Speaker, I rise to a point of order. There has been a ruling by a previous Deputy Speaker in relation to the respect at work laws and their relevance to this debate. I draw your attention to page 12 of the report which specifically references some of these matters. There has already been a ruling in relation to relevance, which is that members are able to refer to the respect at work laws.

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 839

Mr NICHOLLS: To the member for Jordan’s point of order, the Speaker has made a direct ruling with respect to relevance and he referred to similar arguments that were put up in relation to part 1.2 of the committee report. He read out that part of the committee report and ruled that it was not in fact relevant.

Mr POWER: Madam Deputy Speaker, I rise to a point of order. In this circumstance, the member on his feet is actually making reference to the intersection between these two bills. In every sentence he is actually making reference to the debate and the intersection of the two bills. It is a longstanding practice that the intersection between one bill and another that we have passed in this place is to be noted in the debate.

Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER (Ms Marr): Thank you, member for Logan. I am going to take advice. Member for Morayfield, if you can convince me that what you are talking about is in reference to the bill—

Mr RYAN: Madam Deputy Speaker, in every sentence I have referred to this bill. I have actually mentioned the bill and the interaction.

Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Morayfield, I ask you to stay relevant to the bill. Mr RYAN: I will. This is about high standards in a very lofty profession. There are similarly high

standards held in other professions such as the legal profession. The health minister, I and others are members of the legal profession. In the Police Service—that vocation, that calling—there are very high standards held. In fact, even amongst us, as parliamentarians, there are very high standards held. It is a very similar principle to the high standards to which health practitioners are held.

The point I want to make about this is that, when it comes to these high standards, unlike some other careers and vocations, there is an interaction between your conduct as a professional and your personal life. As a lawyer, something that you do in your personal life can impact your professional career. It can actually lead to you being struck off the roll. Similarly, as a police officer, something that you do in your personal life can impact your professional life—similarly with us, as parliamentarians, and also with health practitioners.

That comes back to the point of the interaction here and why you cannot decouple the debate. What happens in one place impacts the other and vice versa. I have just pointed out four professions where that is the case. You cannot decouple the impact of what happens between the patient and the doctor or the doctor and the secretary or the doctor and the pharmaceutical representative or the doctor and the visitor.

Mr NICHOLLS: Madam Deputy Speaker, I rise to a point of order again on relevance. Despite the best efforts of the member for Morayfield, this bill deals with the practice of a practitioner and their patient. There are absolutely other laws that address that very serious issue that the member for Morayfield is raising, but to draw that matter into the discussion of the subject of this bill is outside the terms of this bill. I would ask that you bring him back to the subject matter of the bill.

Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Morayfield, I am going to ask you to please bring it back to the bill. That explanation is far from where we are today.

Mr RYAN: We are talking about the conduct between a doctor and a patient or between other health practitioners and a patient. That is the focus of this bill. It is about confidence in the profession. It is about increasing transparency for the public about the disciplinary action that can be taken against those health practitioners who have engaged in sexual misconduct. That goes to their character. If you are going to engage in that conduct, you should not be a health practitioner. There should be disciplinary consequences for that particular health practitioner.

This bill enhances confidence in the health profession. It enhances confidence in reporting for those people who might be impacted by those terrible examples of behaviours by health practitioners who seek to engage in serious sexual misconduct and other sexual misconduct against patients. This is a bill which is beyond exclusivity of one side of politics. I support the bill and encourage all members to do the same.

Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER (Ms Marr): Before I call the member for Maryborough, I remind members that this morning the Speaker did speak about respect for the decision of the chair. I remind you all that that was a conversation we had this morning, and I expect the same. Regardless of who sits in this chair, we should all have the same respect.

840 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

Mr BAROUNIS (Maryborough—LNP) (4.04 pm): I am honoured to stand before the House today to support an issue that is not just critical to the future of our healthcare system but essential to the health and safety of every Queenslander—the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. This bill was introduced into parliament on 11 September 2024 by the Hon. Shannon Fentiman, who was the minister for health, mental health and ambulance services at the time.

The purpose of this bill is to establish a comprehensive accreditation scheme for 16 health professions across Queensland, ensuring that anyone providing health care in this state is properly qualified, registered and adheres to the highest standards of practice. While this is undoubtedly a significant step forward for the safety and wellbeing of Queenslanders, it is important to pause and reflect on the timing of this bill’s introduction. It was brought forward in the final weeks of the Labor government’s term.

Now, after nearly nine years in power, I think it is fair to ask: why did it take so long for this crucial issue to be addressed? For almost a decade Queensland’s healthcare system operated without a comprehensive accreditation framework that we are now introducing. It was not until the very end of their term that the previous government began to take action on this matter. I want to pose the question: why was such an important issue left unresolved until the final weeks of their administration? Why did it take until the end of their term for the Labor government to start working on a solution? These are legitimate questions.

For the Labor government, after being in power for nearly a decade, the lack of urgency in addressing this healthcare concern is troubling. It raises doubts about their commitment to the healthcare system and the people of Queensland. But, with the new leadership of the Crisafulli LNP government, we are committed to doing better. We are taking swift and decisive action to ensure that all Queenslanders can have confidence in the healthcare professionals they rely on for care, treatment and advice. After all, we are talking about people’s lives. The trust that individuals place in their healthcare providers is not something to be taken lightly. It is vital that those who provide care are not only qualified but accredited and held to the highest standards.

In my electorate, I am fortunate that we have not had any instances of non-accredited health professionals practising, but that is not something I take for granted. I want to ensure that my constituents continue to feel secure in the knowledge that the healthcare practitioners they see are fully accredited. Like many other areas in Queensland, my electorate has an aging population. Many of my constituents are elderly, and they deserve to feel confident when seeking medical attention. We must be sure that the professionals they rely on are not only competent but also meet the rigorous standards expected of health practitioners in Queensland.

Now let’s talk about the details of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. This bill introduces key amendments to the Health Ombudsman Act 2013 and the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act, which will help streamline and improve how the national law is applied in Queensland.

One of the most important aspects of this bill is that it will facilitate a joint regulatory arrangement between the Queensland Health Ombudsman and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. This will allow for greater oversight of health practitioners and ensure that they adhere to consistent national standards. Here is why this is so important: if a health professional decides to move to another state or territory in Australia, they will still be listed on the national register. This will provide greater transparency and peace of mind for Queenslanders, knowing that any health practitioner moving between states will still be subject to national scrutiny and regulation.

We cannot ignore the fact that the previous government had nine years to implement these reforms but failed to do so. The fact that this issue was neglected for so long shows a lack of priority and urgency. The previous government had the opportunity to make this happen earlier but chose not to. Once again, they let down the very people who voted them into power, leaving Queensland’s healthcare system vulnerable to a lack of oversight and regulation.

Another crucial part of this bill ensures the public has the right to be informed about the regulatory history of their healthcare providers, especially in cases where serious issues such as sexual misconduct have occurred. In 2024 alone, Ahpra received more than 1,156 complaints against practitioners for violating personal boundaries. These complaints represent a breach of trust. It is clear that this issue should have been addressed much earlier. It should have been a priority for the Labor government.

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 841

The new bill aims to reduce these incidents by strengthening the regulatory framework and ensuring inappropriate behaviour is not tolerated within the healthcare sector. In my electorate we also face a high turnover of health practitioners due to our location in a more rural area far from the larger, more attractive urban centres. While this can be challenging, it is essential my constituents know that, regardless of which health practitioner they see, that individual has met Queensland’s strict accreditation guidelines and is registered with Ahpra. This will provide not just peace of mind but also confidence in the quality of care they receive, even when practitioners change frequently.

Moreover, under the new system, if a health practitioner is disqualified from registration for any reason they must obtain a reinstatement order from a tribunal before they can apply to re-register with a national board. This is an important measure that will make it more difficult for unfit practitioners to return to the system. It will hold them accountable for their actions and prevent them from re-entering the workforce until they have demonstrated they are fit to do so.

Ultimately, the goal of the LNP Crisafulli government is simple: we want all Queenslanders to feel safe, confident and assured in the healthcare choices they make. We want them to know that when they visit a healthcare provider they are in the hands of a qualified, accredited and trusted professional. By introducing this amendment bill, the Crisafulli government is demonstrating our unwavering commitment to the health, safety and wellbeing of all Queenslanders. This bill represents a bold step forward to ensure that our healthcare system is not only stable but also accountable, transparent and ultimately trustworthy. We are committed to improving and safeguarding our healthcare system for every Queenslander, no matter where they live or from whom they seek care. This is a commitment we take seriously and it is one we are proud to uphold. I commend the bill to the House.

Mr VORSTER (Burleigh—LNP) (4.13 pm): I rise today to make a very short contribution on the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. Before doing so, I thank the health minister for his leadership. This bill carries out work that is important not only here in Queensland but also is of national significance because, as we have learned, Queensland is the home jurisdiction for the national policy agreed to by all jurisdictions in the Commonwealth.

I also acknowledge the chair of the committee, the member for Southport. The member for Southport and I had an opportunity to discuss his views on this bill and its importance. His reflection is that this bill is a superior bill because it had the benefit of significant scrutiny at committee, and the committee made a number of recommendations that were adopted and agreed to by the minister. The member for Southport explained that this bill was enhanced because of the 15 witnesses who presented their case. There were not only 15 witnesses but, might I add, 23 submissions.

It is important this bill had the scrutiny that it did because, of course, the bill deals with very sensitive matters. Sexual misconduct, especially in a medical setting, is absolutely reprehensible. I think of those victims who, during times of vulnerability, were taken advantage of and who may very well find their faith in the medical profession shaken permanently. Not only may they not have received the care and attention they deserved in that moment, they may very well be discouraged from seeking care in the future. I believe that any step we can take here in Queensland as part of national reform to ensure there are fewer victims is a step worth taking.

The manner in which this bill will put victims first and drive the cultural change needed in the sector is by being more transparent about the conduct of those who are found guilty by a tribunal of engaging in sexual misconduct. The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 is fundamentally about allowing people to make more informed choices about the provision of their health care. Choice is important. We need to make sure that consumers of health care are making decisions about not only their own health care but also the health care of those who may be in their care—their children, their dependents—so a register that allows them to seek this information to put their mind at ease is absolutely worth supporting.

This is not reform driven out of a hypothetical situation. It is not a solution in search of a problem. It is driven by a very serious reality. In 2024 the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency revealed there were 1,156 complaints against practitioners about professional boundary violations— 1,156. This is a growing problem because that is an increase of 37.5 per cent compared to the previous year. I submit that the case for action is urgent, which is why I was so disappointed to learn that the bill lapsed under the former government and it has taken this government to introduce these changes. We have learned that 174 of those 1,156 complaints related to practitioners in Queensland. Is that 174 victims? Possibly, but it is more than we should tolerate in this place because victims of sexual violence, victims of sexual assault and victims of sexual discrimination can suffer very serious harm that could only be considered as trauma.

842 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

The three phrases I used—sexual harm, sexual misconduct and sexual violation—can sound like catch-all phrases but they are horrific and they create real trauma. I want to draw the House’s attention to page 27 of the erratum to the explanatory notes which gives us an opportunity to understand some forms of sexual misconduct, including— touching, including hugging, kissing, stroking, caressing … intimate physical examination;

...

seeking or obtaining a sexual history; making sexual comments, suggestions, or gestures;

and this one really makes my stomach churn— distributing, sending, displaying, making, or requesting any sexually explicit images, messages or audio/video recordings;

Those are horrible situations that could unfold in a medical setting where someone vulnerable who is seeking to be made whole and to be healed can be further damaged. I hope that the passage of this bill will send a very powerful cultural signal to the health sector that their conduct must be beyond reproach and they must meet their obligation to look after their patients in their care and do no harm.

I want to conclude on a lighter note by reflecting on the fact that there are many health practitioners who give so much of their lives to heal people, not only in their training but also in the practice of their craft: doctors, nurses, allied health workers. They make people whole and they are the clear majority of health practitioners. This bill is not to cast aspersions on their good work but instead to protect the good name of those doing the right thing. For that reason, we can be confident that this bill enjoys the support of the sector. I greatly appreciate the role of the nurses and doctors who have looked after me and my family in very vulnerable times, and I hope all practitioners understand that we will look after their good name and the reputation of their good vocation by ensuring that those who besmirch their profession are properly exposed and held to account and that Queenslanders have the opportunity to make better, fully informed and careful decisions about their care.

Mr McDONALD (Lockyer—LNP) (4.22 pm): I thank the House for the opportunity to speak on the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill. This is the third time this has happened. The first and second were in other states—which I will come to shortly—and the third is here in Queensland. It is an honour for us to be able to contribute to that. I note the comments of my colleague the member for Burleigh about the issues in this bill and the absolutely reprehensible situation of sexual misconduct and the violation of the trust between the health practitioner and the patient. It is absolutely reprehensible because it is a trusted relationship.

I must say that the majority of the health practitioners out there do the right thing and have contributed to this in making sure that the good people in the industry are looked after and that those who are not doing the right thing are put aside and deregistered. The first reform was actually about cancelling registration by a tribunal and the necessary steps for a person to reapply if that was the case. The second reform set in place public registers, and I will go to the three issues that have been recommended in this bill before Queensland.

That trusted relationship between the health practitioners and their patients is the key foundation of a healthy and safe life. Family look after each other, but when there is a really big problem the family take the child or themselves to the medical practitioner for help. In my case when I was growing up, Dr Kelly was our family doctor and he was a wonderful man. I found out when I got a bit older that his nickname was Ned. He was a trusted source of reliable information for our family—a great man. I will talk later about the wonderful community champions in health. They are not just the health professionals but the practice managers and nurses who make up the whole health team in our communities. This is particularly so in my smaller communities. I have 38 schools in the Lockyer. I do not have 38 towns but I have quite a large array of towns with medical practitioners stretched from Fernvale to Withcott, and they all do a great job.

Turning to the bill and aspects of this third reform contained in the bill, it is aimed at strengthening the protections for complainants and health consumers by making it an offence to engage in reprisal or other actions that could discourage persons from making a notification about registered health practitioners and preventing the use of non-disclosed provisions to limit a person’s right to make a notification and rendering such provisions void. Importantly, all three of the major reforms from the other states and then this one are part of a national program. It is critical to have that protection right across

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 843

the nation so if somebody does something wrong in another state and they move to our state, or vice versa, then we know about those issues and it is recorded on the register. I note the member for Maryborough referred to how important that is, and I share that with him.

I will again refer to the member for Burleigh’s speech and say that the explanatory notes go into some detail about the definitions of misconduct, which he so articulately outlined. I will not go into the same level of detail at the moment. It is about sexual harm, sexual misconduct and sexual violation and the broader range of issues they can create for a person.

Obviously, when you are talking about health issues, a lot of the contact between a health practitioner and their patient would be of a physical nature. In my background as a police officer, I have seen some wonderful things in the world and I have seen some terrible things, but I can say that people in the health field who want to do the wrong thing can misuse that trusted relationship and the need for physical assessment. I am very pleased to support this health practitioner bill. Our learned legal team, the health minister—who I recognise in the House this afternoon—and the committee led by the chair, the member for Southport, considered the 23 submissions and have produced what I think is a very good bill with some good changes to contribute to that national scheme.

I would also like to place on record my appreciation for my daughter, Millie, who is a nurse on the Gold Coast and contributes to the health services of quite a large practice down there. I will not name them for commercial reasons; I might end up on their payroll. I certainly recognise and appreciate the contribution that all nurses, doctors and health professionals make to our world.

I said before that our health professionals are wonderful community champions. I have to give a shout-out to my family doctor in Gatton at the Family Health Clinic, Dr Mohammed Sultan. He has been my doctor for near on 30 years, although we both agree that it seems like 10 years. I will also give a shout-out to a couple of recently retired doctors: Dr Phil Burrell from Laidley, who is providing other alternative services, and Dr Peter Bevan from Gatton. They are great family doctors in the Gatton community. If you were not being treated by either ‘Butcher Burrell’ or ‘Butcher Bevan’ in those different locations, then you were going to another town for health services. Phil Burrell set up the Lockyer Doctors, and I think there are about 16 doctors across a number of different sites who are serving the community from Laidley, Plainland and Gatton which is a wonderful thing.

Another one of our long-term doctors is Dr Yael Kirat-Curtis. Dr Yael is a lovely lady. She and her husband, Paul, who is the practice manager, started a wonderful clinic in Plainland and have been great supporters of our community in many different ways. They are keeping the business in the family because their son, Dr Noam, and his partner have actually moved back to Plainland after travelling around the world. Paul and Yael put out the call and said, ‘Come on home and help us out with the practice,’ and they did, and now they are a key part of the health services in Plainland and Laidley.

As I said, health practitioners and health professionals in our community are an absolutely wonderful cornerstone of community life and the culture of our community and are certainly very much trusted individuals. I think it is important to note that this may be only a small bill in terms of the big health issue and the health of Queenslanders, but it is another vital part to make sure those good health practitioners in our community have a scheme that they trust and that they are willing to cooperate with and participate in, because if they did not have that shared ownership then it would be something somebody else does. When it is an organic profession—and, by definition, professions want to see themselves getting better, whether that be lawyers or police as some opposite were talking about earlier—when you are a trusted person with integrity in the community and you want to see the best profession, then continuous improvement makes all the difference. Having health professionals contribute to this bill, taking ownership of this bill and making it better, certainly leads to a better health system and health services in Queensland.

In closing, I thank all of the doctors, nurses and practitioners out there, along with the managers of their clinics, for the wonderful services they provide to all of our communities across Queensland. Keep up the great work.

Mrs KIRKLAND (Rockhampton—LNP) (4.32 pm): I rise to speak to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. This bill amends the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to bring protections to public safety, to increase transparency of information and to strengthen the protections for the notifiers of conduct and performance of health practitioners. As has already been said, it is important that we note that this is a national law amendment and Queensland is the host jurisdiction for this national law. All of the Australian health ministers have agreed to these amendments out of session.

844 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

Public confidence in the safety of services provided by practitioners and students is paramount, and this law continues to refine and bring uniform standards to the national scheme, allowing a single registration recognition anywhere in Australia. What these amendments do is bring a higher level of accountability through the process for practitioners to regain their registration. This is following cancellation or disqualification. Currently, there is no consistency across all the states and territories with regard to health practitioners and their registration, or temporary disqualifications from registration. This bill restricts a person who has had their registration cancelled or been disqualified from registration from applying to a national board for registration unless they have first obtained a tribunal order that they are eligible to apply.

The bill has been amended to make it very clear and nationally consistent on the reinstatement of a previously disciplined health practitioner, with the added layer of the tribunal informing national boards with regard to their re-registration. Amendments within the bill prevent penalised practitioners from holding registration and practising anywhere in Australia. The objective is simple: to ensure that only health practitioners who are suitably trained and qualified to practise in a competent and ethical manner are registered. This is achieved by establishing a nationally consistent process.

When we think about medical practitioners or health practitioners, our minds generally go straight to doctors. It is important to note that there are 16 health professions captured within the law, including medical, midwifery, nursing, optometry, osteopathy, paramedicine, dental—that is dental therapist, dental hygienist, dental prosthetist and oral health therapist—pharmacy, physiotherapy, podiatry and physiology professions. It is important to note that practitioners will continue to be able to challenge the legality of the boards’ decisions through a judicial review.

In 2023, the number of notifications made against registered health practitioners for sexual misconduct saw a 223 per cent increase on the three years prior. We saw a further 37.5 per cent increase on that in the last year alone. That is why it is important that within the bill we address practitioners who have engaged in sexual misconduct. This bill will increase transparency regarding practitioners who have taken advantage of those who put their trust in them. Patients and prospective patients need to be able to make fully informed decisions about their choice of healthcare professionals.

Currently under the national law, there are provisions and mechanisms to remove actions and disciplinary sanctions that have been put on a national public register once those actions have actually ceased. This bill seeks to make it a requirement for national boards to permanently publish additional information on public registers about practitioners whom a tribunal has found to have engaged in professional misconduct based on sexual misconduct. Under the national law, professional misconduct is the highest level of misconduct, as the member for Burleigh illustrated earlier in detail.

The proposed amendments bring laws into line with community expectations about information that should be available on registers. Modifications of the bill reflect the existing ability of QCAT to indefinitely disqualify a person. That power is maintained within the bill. The modifications are included to ensure any permanent disqualification is now registered on the national register.

News reports have highlighted the escalation of botox surgery failures as an example. Unfortunately, many people, both customers and health practitioner employees, are currently encouraged to sign non-disclosure documents preventing them from making complaints against practitioners. In a separate review, led by the former health ombudsman, Mr Andrew Brown, into the cosmetic surgery industry, it was identified there was a risk that healthcare consumers were not fully aware of their rights to make notifications or to assist a healthcare regulator with an investigation in circumstances where they have signed a non-disclosure agreement. Australian health ministers have agreed to make it clear within this national law that a non-disclosure agreement cannot prevent a person from making a notification or providing information to the health regulator.

This brings us to the third reform contained within the bill, to strengthen protections for a complainant and health consumers purely by making it an offence to engage in any reprisals or actions that could discourage persons from making notifications about registered health practitioners. This third reform prevents the use of non-disclosure provisions to limit a person’s right to make a health practitioner complaint. The bill also addresses all existing non-disclosure documents of this kind retrospectively, rendering them void.

It is important that we bring these laws to protect the public from harm and protect patients from health practitioners who pose risk of harm to them. Under the national law, registered health practitioners are also required to make notifications if they hold a reasonable belief that another

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 845

practitioner has engaged in sexual misconduct, practised whilst intoxicated by alcohol or drugs, or placed the public at risk by practising with an impairment or in any way that is a significant departure from acceptable professional standards. An important note is that these provisions will not affect the way in which any vexatious complaints are managed under the national law.

The amendment to this bill will make it an offence to enter into a non-disclosure agreement unless the agreement clearly sets out in writing that it does not limit a person from making a notification or providing assistance to regulators and others performing functions under the national law. It will be an offence to threaten, intimidate, dismiss, refuse to employ, or subject a person to other detriment or reprisal because they have made or intend to make a complaint, or have provided assistance to persons performing functions under the national law. Ahpra are also undertaking work to develop greater resources for patients and practitioners around the informed consent process during consultations and then, working to ensure investigations are all trauma-informed and nationally consistent. The Health Ombudsman Act has also been amended to reflect these reforms.

The rise in the number of complaints laid against health practitioners speaks to the need for these amendments. It is imperative that health practitioners, along with patients and consumers within the health sector, all have confidence that they are working with and being attended to by suitably trained qualified practitioners who are competent, ethical and registered. The people of Rockhampton call for this bill to be implemented today. I commend the bill to the House.

Hon. LJ GERBER (Currumbin—LNP) (Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support and Minister for Corrective Services) (4.41 pm): I rise to make a small contribution to this bill. As members may know, before I became the member for Currumbin in this House, I was a federal prosecutor with the Commonwealth DPP. I was also a disciplinary prosecutor with the Office of the Health Ombudsman. It was my job as a disciplinary prosecutor with the Office of the Health Ombudsman to prosecute cases of the nature that this bill aims to protect Queenslanders from. It was my job to prosecute health practitioners for matters of serious misconduct and sexual assault. I want to specifically address the aspects of this bill that deal with that.

This bill aims to increase transparency for the public around disciplinary action against health practitioners who have been found by a tribunal to have engaged in serious sexual misconduct. I want to give the House some context as to how those disciplinary prosecutions occur and what this transparency means for the public. In the course of a disciplinary prosecution—I will use the Office of the Health Ombudsman as an example because that is where my experience lies—a member of the public would make a complaint to the Office of the Health Ombudsman about conduct that a registered health practitioner had made against them. The Office of the Health Ombudsman would investigate that complaint and initiate an investigation if there was substance to that complaint. That investigation turns up evidence and a brief is put together. That brief is given to the prosecution division of the Office of the Health Ombudsman, the division that I was a part of. Then, that prosecution division gets the director of proceedings to initiate claims in QCAT in order to hold that registered health practitioner to account for their conduct.

Alongside those disciplinary proceedings there is often a criminal charge of sexual assault, or a criminal charge in relation to the conduct of the health practitioner, but the disciplinary proceedings protect the community from that health practitioner by preventing them from being able to practice in the future or continuing to register—even if they move interstate. The mechanism is that the national board, Ahpra, has a registration process. If the registered health practitioner is found to have engaged in professional misconduct, which of course is the highest category that they can be found to have engaged in, then there is a notification that occurs on their registration. If that health practitioner stops practising for a while, deregisters and then wants to go back to practising, sometimes that registration— that disciplinary action—does not follow them. This change allows for the national board to publish information on the public registers and for the tribunal’s findings to be available for the public in relation to that health practitioner if they decide to try to re-register.

That is important because the public can look these practitioners up. You can go onto the Ahpra website. You can type in the last name of your medical practitioner—whether it be your nurse, your doctor, your physiotherapist or your orthopaedic practitioner—and you can see their registration and confirm that they are registered with Ahpra. You can also see notifications. You can also see whether or not that practitioner has been a part of disciplinary proceedings. The fact that this bill now allows for the professional misconduct finding of sexual misconduct to be registered and to follow that practitioner on their registration allows the community to have some confidence and feel safe about the health care

846 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

they are getting and the practitioners who they are engaging. There is a great level of trust that we as community members, when engaging a health practitioner, invest in our health practitioners for the service that they give to us. There is a level of trust that puts that health practitioner in a position of power over the patient. That dynamic means they should be held to a higher standard. That position of power that they have, where they are trusted, where the information they give us sometimes is not questioned and where they are able to be in positions of power over patients. This bill allows for a level of transparency and public confidence.

I want to commend the health minister for the way he has brought this bill into the House and the way he has conducted himself throughout the course of this bill’s scrutiny, particularly during the committee process. Our health minister has engaged in a really deep, consultative process to ensure these laws that are before the House are the best they can be and that ultimately they protect the public.

The Crisafulli government is all about public safety and protecting the rights of victims. Every Queenslander has the right to be able to look up their health practitioner to ensure the person they are placing their trust in for the medical services they require is, in fact, an upstanding citizen, is registered and does not have any professional misconduct findings against them. It is a very good bill. It is a very good law, and I am pleased that now sexual misconduct findings will be registered and will follow that practitioner—no matter if they deregister. That is a very good outcome for Queensland.

Hon. TJ NICHOLLS (Clayfield—LNP) (Minister for Health and Ambulance Services) (4.47 pm), in reply: What a pleasure it is to follow the member for Currumbin. It is great that she brings to the debate her experience and contribution as a prosecutor. I thank members on both sides of the House for their contributions to the debate on the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill. I thank the chair of the Health, Environment and Innovation Committee, the member for Southport, for his always considered and thoughtful contribution to the debate, for the manner in which he ran that committee and for the suggestions he has put forward. I would like to acknowledge the contribution of the other members and the staff of the committee for their considered report on the bill.

Members have seen our response to those recommendations. Whilst we agreed with two of them, we were able to clarify the operation satisfactorily enough in relation to the other two recommendations. I am glad to see that the parliament is working in the way it ought to and, under the LNP government, we are paying respect to the thought process of committees and we are adopting some of those changes.

I also want to thank the member for Greenslopes for his contribution to the debate. He has stepped into the shoes of the member for Miller and is the acting shadow minister for health and ambulance services. When I draw a comparison, I have to say that the member for Greenslopes has done a pretty good job compared to his compatriot. I am, of course, bestowing the gift of advancement on the member for Greenslopes by praising him in this way, but he certainly seems to have a greater understanding of the health system than the member for Miller does. He has a greater understanding of the need for absolute practitioner compliance with the rules and the expectations that are placed on them. His experience as a nurse, which he has mentioned many times, his ongoing interest in other matters related to health and his dedication and contribution to this House are a tribute to him. I want to acknowledge that and wish him all the best in his future endeavours as the acting shadow minister for health and perhaps the shadow minister for health in due course. Might I say, should he reach those lofty heights, I wish him a long and tortuous career there as well.

I also want to acknowledge the many organisations and individuals who made submissions on the bill and appeared before the committee, including the various colleges that made submissions. I want to thank the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union—and I will have a little bit to say about some of the comments made by those on the other side in relation to that in due course—for their contributions. They are all valued and they have all been taken into account. The contributions, knowledge and experience are vital to the development of this legislation.

I am pleased that the bill has broad support not just in the chamber but also from the public and from professional stakeholders, because these reforms are important and will benefit not only Queenslanders but, because of the unique way we run this legislation, all Australians. I want to acknowledge and thank Australian health ministers for their ongoing work and support in developing the bill. As others have said, it is indeed a privilege for Queensland to serve as the host jurisdiction for the national law and it is a pleasure for me to be able to progress this legislation on behalf of all states

3 Apr 2025 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 847

and territories. I also want to acknowledge the member for Waterford for her input during her time as minister. The only thing I would say is that this decision was made in early 2023 and the bill was not brought before the House until some 18 months later. I do acknowledge her contribution and her input during her time as minister in relation to this bill.

The bill will better inform consumers and employers about sexual misconduct by registered health practitioners. It will provide a more rigorous re-registration process for cancelled or disqualified practitioners and it will strengthen protections for those making good faith complaints about a practitioner.

I made a number of notes as I was sitting here listening to the contributions from others. I have probably put the kiss of death on the member for Greenslopes for his contribution, but it was a thoughtful and rational contribution. I want to acknowledge his help in particular there.

In relation to the member for Ipswich, it took her some considerable time but she finally got to the substance of the bill. I do not mind a little bit of toing and froing in relation to the House and taking the odd point of order or two. I know that is the burden of opposition and so I expect that to occur. With some guidance from the chair and a requisite degree of toing and froing, she finally got to the substance of the bill. She did mention ambulance ramping and wait times in her contribution, and I take the opportunity to remind the House and Queenslanders that the worst wait times in Queensland’s history were achieved under the Labor government and the member for Waterford at 45.5 per cent. The worst elective surgery figures were also reached under the member for Waterford, who promised repeatedly that they would be lower. I thank the member for Ipswich for that slight diversion into wait times. I also note the post that was made yesterday, as I mentioned yesterday, about the Leader of the Opposition and the coterie of other opposition members appearing outside the Ipswich Hospital to complain about ramping times. They posted the number 40.5 per cent, which was actually 4.1 per cent lower than the highest number under the Labor Party, so I thank them for yet again reinforcing the great work that is being done by our health staff, our health services and, indeed, the people at Ipswich Hospital.

The member for Toohey made his contribution. I think he was generally supportive. I want to also focus on the member for Morayfield and pay tribute to him. He was 7½ minutes into his speech on the bill before he got distracted and, through some very convoluted means, attempted to use the Labor opposition’s current tactic of trying to raise the matter of respect at work. He was steadfast in his defence of his position, which ultimately failed, but that is not to be sneezed at. He gave it a red-hot crack. In doing so, he raised an important matter—those points of order I raised—and that is that this bill is about the conduct between a practitioner and that practitioner’s client, but that does not lessen the importance of protection for people in the workplace from sexual harassment. Indeed, nothing the LNP government has done lessens the current protections for women and minorities in the workplace. The Commonwealth prohibitions and the positive duty continue to apply to duty holders across Australia, including employers in Queensland—and this includes the state’s Public Service. As anyone who read the explanatory notes to the respect at work legislation knows, that is the case. The Crisafulli government will always make decisions in the best interests of Queenslanders and we will always consider the expert advice provided by our respected public servants when making decisions around it.

That is not to lessen the very grave consequences that occur with sexual harassment in the workplace. They are real, they are unacceptable and they ought to be called out and punished, and those who perpetrate it should face the consequences, but that is not this bill. This bill is in relation to sexual misconduct between a practitioner and that practitioner’s client. That is what we are dealing with here today and that is equally important. That is why the health ministers collectively decided to bring this bill forward and that is why Queensland is doing it. It is important that we disabuse those who would try to say otherwise, that there is some notion that sexual harassment in any way, shape or form is acceptable in the workplace. Indeed, I take the point that was made by the member for Morayfield in terms of character. It is as important to call out that failure of character when it comes to harassment in the workplace as it is when it comes to the conduct of a practitioner with a client. I need to make that abundantly clear.

There were a number of matters outlined with respect to the union. I am not sure if it was the member for Greenslopes—it might have been another member—who expressed some concerns in relation to the current government’s ongoing negotiations with the union. I want to thank the QNMU for their ongoing participation in the bargaining process. As we have always said, we will continue to deal with the QNMU in a respectful and proper bargaining framework, and indeed we have done so. We

848 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 3 Apr 2025

commenced negotiations with the QNMU well before the expiry of the EB. Those negotiations continue and we anticipate they will continue for some time, as they have for all governments. When I look at the history of the previous EB, I note that it was not settled for some eight months after its extended expiry date, and it had been extended for a year before then. The fact that negotiations are ongoing, the fact that there are robust negotiations and differences of opinion, should be of no surprise to anyone in this place. That is the nature of these negotiations, but they are being conducted in a respectful, thoughtful and considered way. I am advised that our team of negotiators is meeting with the QNMU at least twice a week to progress those negotiations with, I believe, a requisite degree of goodwill, and I hope that continues.

I have spoken about sexual harassment in the workplace. I have made it clear the government and Queensland Health have zero tolerance for workplace sexual harassment, and we remain focused on that. We do not wish to play politics with it in the way that some of those opposite, regrettably, attempted to. As I have said, we intend to continue down that path. The explanatory notes make clear that workplace sexual harassment by a health practitioner may be sexual misconduct for the purposes of the bill. If the tribunal finds such harassment amounts to professional misconduct, the bill requires the board to permanently publish the practitioner’s related history. It is covered.

The member for South Brisbane in her contribution and some stakeholders also raised concerns about retrospectively publishing the regulatory history of health practitioners relating to prior findings of sexual misconduct, and I understand that concern. The objective of the publication requirement is to improve public safety and the transparency of information about practitioners found to have engaged in sexual misconduct. This can only be achieved by informing health consumers and employers about both past and future sexual misconduct. Applying the publication requirement only to future instances of sexual misconduct would create a misleading distinction between misconduct occurring before or after the day the legislation commences. Is anyone truly saying that a client should not have information relating to the past sexual misconduct of a practitioner they will see at some date in the future? It would create two classes, so obviously and logically applying that publication requirement is necessary. In terms of weighing things up, in balance we fall on the side of the consumer in those circumstances.

Given the egregious breach of trust inherent in sexual misconduct by a health practitioner, the bill’s limited impact on practitioner rights is, as I say, proportionate. The narrow application and high threshold for publishing provides an appropriate balance, and I went through that in my second reading speech. In this way, the bill protects privacy rights while also ensuring transparency of information vital to the public’s knowledge. Importantly, as I mentioned earlier, in most cases the information to be permanently published on the register is drawn from information that is or was in the public realm. I will say that again: the register records information that is or was in the public realm.

We have also heard mention of the importance of practitioner mental health, and I know this was raised by the member for Southport in his introduction to the committee report and a number of other members during the debate here today. I particularly want to thank Dr McMullen of the Australian Medical Association for raising this important issue in committee. There is a delicate balance, and that delicate balance of protecting patients in a way that is fair to practitioners was considered throughout the bill’s development. I believe that the bill strikes the appropriate balance and I think that is the outcome of the committee’s deliberations as well.

While the bill will require the publication of additional information about regulatory actions taken against a practitioner who has engaged in professional misconduct involving sexual misconduct, it also ensures appropriate safeguards are in place. For example, the bill retains the existing discretion allowing national boards to not publish information if doing so would present a serious risk to the health or safety of the practitioner, a member of the practitioner’s family or an associate of the practitioner. The board can use this power, as required, to protect a practitioner’s mental health.

In summary, the bill will strengthen public protections under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law in a fair and balanced way for the benefit of all Australians. The bill also amends the Health Ombudsman Act to ensure the new protections operate under Queensland’s co-regulatory model. The bill increases the availability of information about sexual misconduct committed by health practitioners, strengthens the process for practitioners to return to practise following a tribunal cancellation of registration and strengthens protections for complainants. In this way, the bill reflects community expectations about safety and respect in the health professions. The public and practitioners all agree that sexual misconduct has no place in health care. This bill sends a strong message that sexual misconduct will not be tolerated.

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 849

I want to thank the officers of the department who have acted entirely appropriately, whether it has been a Labor government or an LNP government, in the preparation of this legislation and in the advice that they have provided and the assistance that they have given and their presentations to the committee. I also want to thank the members of my own staff for their assistance in bringing this bill to fruition. In closing, I would urge all members to support the bill.

Question put—That the bill be now read a second time. Motion agreed to. Bill read a second time.

Consideration in Detail Clauses 1 to 28, as read, agreed to.

Third Reading Hon. TJ NICHOLLS (Clayfield—LNP) (Minister for Health and Ambulance Services) (5.05 pm):

I move— That the bill be now read a third time.

Question put—That the bill be now read a third time. Motion agreed to. Bill read a third time.

Long Title Hon. TJ NICHOLLS (Clayfield—LNP) (Minister for Health and Ambulance Services) (5.05 pm):

I move— That the long title of the bill be agreed to.

Question put—That the long title of the bill be agreed to. Motion agreed to.

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY Resumed from 14 March (see p. 568). Mr LISTER (Southern Downs—LNP) (5.06 pm), continuing: I am very pleased to continue with

the second half of my contribution to the address-in-reply debate. For those who are riveted by what I have to say and want to read the earlier half, they can find it in the Record of Proceedings of 14 March at page 567. I was talking about roads in my electorate. I drive the roads in my electorate of Southern Downs every day. I do a lot of kilometres. I zigzag all over the place—from Millmerran to Toobeah to Goondiwindi to Goomburra to Wallangarra and everywhere in between—so I understand that the roads are in a poor condition. I say to my electors that I am very pleased to have been able to meet with the Minister for Transport and Main Roads on a number of occasions and he and his director-general were very good to visit me in Southern Downs in February to see the condition of the roads firsthand. I look forward to working with the minister and the government to rectify the condition of the roads.

Basically, millions and millions—billions—is being blown out on projects in the south-east corner and funds have been drawn away from the maintenance of roads in country Queensland. I know that there are country members here who would agree with me on that. Consequently, our roads have been left to go to rack and ruin in order to prop up blowouts in the south-east corner. Those sorts of blowouts are going to cease under an LNP government and that will liberate funds to attend to our roads, and not just to attend to our roads but to do them properly so that the taxpayer gets real value for money when spending money on the roads—a proper fix that will last and will do the community and the users of the roads proud. I tow my mobile office with me all over the electorate and there are many places— my electors would agree with me—where I have to slow down to 60 kilometres per hour on a highway because the mobile office and in some cases even the ute that I drive cannot take it, so I get it. I can assure the electors of Southern Downs that I will continue to advocate for the improvement of roads in our electorate and I know that over time we will reverse the lack of investment in the roads under the last government.

850 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

On 14 March, the member for Bundaberg spoke prior to me in this debate and I heard him make some very complimentary remarks about me, and I do thank him for that. I wondered whether perhaps it was a plan to poison me or make sure that I do not progress on my side of politics, but I will assume that that is not the case, although it does bring to mind the old Labor saying that to be liked by certain Labor mates is like getting a bunch of carnations from the mafia. So I will let that one hang and see how I survive in the immediate future.

The member for Bundaberg talked about water and Emu Swamp Dam. Emu Swamp Dam, in case anyone is unaware of it, is a project that I strongly support. All jokes aside, it needs to be said that under the previous government Emu Swamp Dam did not progress. There was reason after reason, cost blowout after cost blowout, advanced as to why it could not go ahead. I remember the previous water minister, the member for Gladstone, coming into the House and saying that the price increases on Emu Swamp Dam were LNP blowouts. Obviously, that is not the case. I think Emu Swamp Dam can be built for much less than has recently been said because of the unnecessary scope creep and gold plating that had occurred under the previous administration—I suspect in order to make sure it could not be built. I have had a lot to do with my honourable friend the Minister for Water, Ann Leahy, and her department and I will continue to advocate to progress that dam.

There is an ongoing assessment of options to provide water on the Granite Belt. It basically boils down to two options. One is to have a pipeline which would pipe water for drinking from Connolly Dam in Warwick up to the town of Stanthorpe. That would be needed in the occasional year when Storm King Dam runs dry. As we saw during the last drought, $18 million—or an amount similar to that—was spent over 18 months to truck drinking water from Warwick to Stanthorpe. I do not favour that option— firstly, because it has to go across granite country and, secondly, because of the cost. I do not think we would get out of that for much less than half a billion dollars—and that is just for drinking water for the occasions when the town runs dry.

The reason I prefer Emu Swamp Dam is that, as a project, it provides not only drinking water to sustain the town of Stanthorpe but also, importantly, irrigation for the horticultural industry, which is vital to the existence of the town of Stanthorpe. There are hundreds and hundreds of additional jobs that will be generated because of the additional planting that can occur if reliable water is available. It is not just the water that they need because they have run dry; it is the knowledge that that water is available. It is high-security water, which means that the industry can plant with confidence and can commit to forward contracts in the knowledge that, even if they are dry, they still have water available from Emu Swamp Dam.

It is a very important project. It is the most developed dam project in Queensland at this stage. We would be mad not to continue with it and use the allocations that are available in the last possible dam in the northern basin of the Murray-Darling system. I will continue to advocate for Emu Swamp Dam. I know that it has the support of my community and the growers who provide our food, who provide jobs and who generate taxes to pay for the public services that we administer and ourselves as politicians, and we should not forget that.

I am also looking forward to the LNP government taking a more courteous approach with irrigators regarding water. I noticed under previous administrations a more arbitrary approach to irrigators: the announcement as a fait accompli of changes to criteria for pumping of water and other, what I felt were, discourteous practices around identifying approvals for storages and those sorts of things. I suspect that this was done in order to placate the federal government or to comply with the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement. I think water rights are akin to property rights. I thought the way the departments under the previous administration acted with irrigators large and small on many occasions was arbitrary and unfortunate. I am quite certain that under the LNP administration a more enlightened approach will be taken when dealing with the users of water.

Government members: Hear, hear! Mr LISTER: I thank my honourable friends for their acknowledgment. Wind farms is another issue that enlivens people in my electorate of Southern Downs. I thank

the Deputy Premier for his announcement of the new criteria applying to the approval of renewable energy projects such as wind farms in renewable energy zones like Southern Downs. The previous government used the state legislature to provide a process where renewable energy projects could be streamlined and put through against the wishes of the communities that host them. I think that is an affront to country people, because the benefits of the projects tend to be achieved only by a limited number whereas a majority suffer the negative impacts of hosting them. That is fundamentally unfair. It divides communities. I wrote to the previous minister about that, without avail.

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 851

I am very pleased that one of the first acts of the Crisafulli government was to restore the rights of third parties to appeal the construction of wind farms in communities to make sure they were impact assessable and to ensure there was proper consultation. As a result of that new policy, I have had much more frequent interactions with the proponents of renewable energy projects. That is a good thing because it enables me to insist that if they want my support, or even my acquiescence, then certain things have to occur, such as genuine community support, and that the community benefits—not just the few who host the particular infrastructure.

Housing is a problem for all of us. In the context of Southern Downs, the shortage of housing manifests itself in the inability to get police, teachers, nurses and public sector employees to our towns like Goondiwindi. All of the government houses are occupied. A school says, ‘We have managed to secure this excellent teacher who wants to come and work in our school, but then they say, “I’m afraid I can’t fulfil my intention to come and work with you because I can’t find somewhere to live.”’ That has a fundamental impact on our community, quite apart from the moral dimension of the number of people who are living with homelessness in my electorate of Southern Downs. The problem is often masked. We all know what it is like to walk down Albert Street in the city and see unfortunate people who are living on the streets. That is happening in my electorate too, but they live in tents and in cars parked out of sight or in caravans inside sheds on someone’s property. It is no less of an evil that those people are homeless. I welcome the LNP government’s intention to engage with the not-for-profit sector—with churches and community groups.

Mrs Poole interjected. Mr LISTER: I take that acknowledgement from my honourable friend the member for

Mundingburra. She knows exactly what I am talking about. That is the way to unlock potential: to engage with those who understand the needs of the community, the kinds of housing required, and give back respect. They can deliver housing in partnership with the government, getting every last cent out of every last dollar. I commend the government and Minister Bonney—Minister O’Connor, sorry! Perhaps they should call his electorate ‘O’Connor’ in honour of his great success in that particular role. I thank him and the government for that. I see that as a critical enabler to expand housing of the kind we need in Southern Downs going forward.

Crime is a problem in many of our electorates, in particular in Goondiwindi in my electorate. I thank the government, particularly the Minister for Youth Justice, the Attorney-General and the Premier, for their concerted work to bring in consequences for actions so that those who commit offences are not let out by the court to immediately reoffend. I ask anyone who says, ‘No, you can’t lock them up; that wouldn’t be fair,’ to go and knock on the door of Aileen Norman, whose home was invaded by someone who was let out on bail that very day, and say to her, ‘No, you don’t understand. You needed to be home-invaded so that that person could be at liberty.’ Obviously, no-one is going to do that. The idea that we should not incarcerate offenders in order to protect good law-abiding people who are entitled to protection and entitled to live safely in their communities is bankrupt and we need not hear anything more of it in this House.

In recent days I have heard much about pill testing. I can confidently assure the House that pill testing is objected to by the good and true folk of Southern Downs.

Mr Vorster interjected. Mr LISTER: I thank my honourable friend the member for Burleigh for his acknowledgement.

There are three reasons for that objection. Firstly, pill testing undermines respect for the law. It sends the clear and incongruous message that, whilst it is illegal, we are facilitating you to do it. Secondly, it tells people that it is okay to take drugs. I cannot see how anybody could infer otherwise. Thirdly, and this is the part which is not often ventilated in this House, it gives succour to organised crime. By organised crime I mean the vicious and violent organisations that import or create drugs and distribute them. Wherever there are drugs there is repression, there is violence and there is other activity such as illegal immigration and sex slavery. I think the people who are taking drugs ought to have a good, hard look at themselves and say, ‘Do I really want to support that?’

Mr J KELLY (Greenslopes—ALP) (5.19 pm): Once again we hear the member for Southern Downs deliver the tired and worn-out arguments about pill testing that we heard when we had similar debates around the needle exchange program. It was good to hear the member talking about the Emu Swamp Dam and I wish him all the best in getting that built. When it is built, the member for Southern Downs is not going to get any carnations from over here; he will be able to grow his own carnations going forward.

852 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

It is always really touching to have the health minister and member for Clayfield showing such deep concern for my parliamentary career. Like most members, I am very pleased and humbled to have the opportunity to be here and to represent my community. I assure the member for Clayfield that, whatever role I play in this place, my first job will be to oppose him and everything he stands for, completely and utterly.

I congratulate the Speaker on his election to that august position. I wish him well in the tricky business of maintaining order and discipline in this at times unruly chamber.

During the election campaign, the Premier spent a lot of time talking about accountability and transparency and isn’t he off to a great start? He has rammed through legislation to shut down the Path to Treaty, denying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other community members any chance to engage in normal consultation processes afforded to other community members. He has rammed through changes to workplace health and safety laws that will lead to injury and death for workers. He has misused parliamentary processes to stop members of this chamber from doing their job. We should all be able to debate and discuss any issue that we want—abortion or anything else— no matter how uncomfortable or difficult it is for the Premier. That freedom is at the very core and the purpose of this parliament.

The Premier has been getting his ministers to dodgy up figures to try to blame Labor for economic mismanagement. I suspect what they really want to do is lay the framework to repay their old mates at the QRC by slashing the progressive coal royalties, followed quickly by slashing Labor’s investment in the infrastructure and services that Queenslanders need. We cannot wait for the Sangster report to confirm all of that. The Premier has shut down an FOI process that would have revealed the truth about SET Solutions, the company that clearly he was not capable of running. He has backflipped on his ‘no new stadiums’ promise. Now he is trying to appoint to the redistribution tribunal someone who would have a massive conflict of interest due to being a former very active Liberal Party member and an individual identified by no less than Fitzgerald as someone who was trying to frustrate his inquiry. I doubt most average people in my community would consider that to be acting in a manner that respects accountability or transparency.

I have also heard the Premier talking about choosing hope over fear. Again, isn’t he off to a great start in that regard? He has pandered to the extreme Right by shutting down both the Path to Treaty and pill testing. I have spoken about the reaction of families in my community to the decision to restrict services at the gender clinic. Does that demonstrate hope over fear? With a stellar start like this, I can only expect that the next four years are going to be a repeat of 1996 and 2012 when Queenslanders were promised much but delivered nothing.

We had a little taste of what nothing might look like in the opening speech to parliament that outlined the government’s agenda. Every year I doorknock my community and during the past year I doorknocked every part of it over three times between April and October, for the election campaign. The No. 1 issue raised with me and my volunteers was the cost of living. I have gone through the opening address and one thing it was very weak on was the cost of living. The community welcomed our cost-of-living measures including energy rebates, 50 cent fares, free TAFE and free kindy. They will certainly be looking at this year’s budget with great intent to see if any assistance is coming. I doubt my community will be overly interested in the Premier’s and the LNP’s broad, bland statements contained in the opening address to parliament. I make a commitment to my community that I will work with the Labor members on this side of the House to bring the blowtorch of accountability and transparency to this already rotting LNP government.

This is the fourth time I have been elected to represent the people of Greenslopes.

Ms Grace: Hear, hear! Mr J KELLY: Thank you; I take that interjection. I love being congratulated. I am extremely

thankful to the good people of Greenslopes for again putting their faith in me to represent them in this parliament.

Ms Grace: You did a great job. Mr J KELLY: Thank you; I take that interjection too. Working for my community will always be

my No. 1 priority. Of course, you do not win elections on your own and there are a number of people I wish to thank. I thank our office volunteers, Chris Anderson, Joan Bremner and Michelle Hollywood; our mid-week bus stop attendees, Paul Carroll, Ken Thorpe and Gen Philips; our Saturday morning street stall legends, Barb Ewers, Barry Cosgrove, Rod Harris, Peter Nibbs, Charlie and Alex; the army

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 853

of people who dropped flyers in letterboxes; the sign site set-up crew, Mark Wockner, Adam Fritz and Ian ‘Chappo’ Chapman; and the people who have had signs on their houses are too many to thank by name.

I say muchas gracias to the ‘Latinos for Joe’ crew of Cesar, Alberto Jr, Marcella, Angie, Julio, Eduardo and Edith who helped me throughout the campaign. I thank all of the doorknockers, particularly Chris Clarke, Haye Butler Dupuy, Alex Caddie, Xavier Wiatrowski, Shauna Turner-Smith, Liam Hesleltine, Ed Uzelin and Chris Rhodes. I thank all of our booth captains, pre-poll workers, election-day workers and scrutineers, in particular Brian Merrin, Sagie Pillai and Yvonne Darlington. I thank our election-day flying squad as well as Bernard Malik and the food crew. I thank all of the people who donated to my campaign, particularly Chris Meimaris. Of course I thank the mighty Greenslopes branch and Alicia Wiederman, Matt Campbel and Patrick Hanlon who lead that branch.

My extended family, as always, came to assist me with my campaign. This time my brothers Peter, Paul and Vince, my sister Angie, her husband, Lee, and my nephew Ben helped on the day. My sister Chris and brother Bill sent lots of support but could not be there on the day. I thank my friends of many years—a lifetime really—who came to help me on the day: Danny; Ange; Killian, Matilda and Katy Keenan; Sagie Pillai; Peter Rooney; and Andy Elphinstone.

It would be very remiss of me not to thank my good friends in the union movement—the Australian Workers’ Union; the SDA; the TWU; the RTBU, particularly Phoebe Kelly; my own union, the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union; and the Queensland Independent Education Union. I thank the party office staff who helped out, Kate Flanders, Zac Beers, Hayden Sheppard and Ben Coates. I am deeply appreciative of their help. Of course, I thank my amazing electorate office staff, Claudia, Matilda, Kayla and Callun. I thank my campaign managers, Jordan Ayton and Brooke Wilson, who did a great job.

We all know of the massive impact this job, this calling, this career, this vocation—whatever you want to call it—has on your family. Therefore, I particularly want to thank my wife, Susan, and my daughters, Molly and Brenna, who were there with me every step of the way. I take a moment to acknowledge the passing of my mother-in-law, Nola Adams. She was a wonderful part of our family and the community. We miss her deeply. She hung on just long enough to vote for me one more time. We are very saddened by her passing. In case I missed anybody in that list of thank yous, you also have my sincere thanks.

Building community has always been my prime motivation for seeking to represent the community. You do that by listening to your community and working to deliver what they tell you will build community. That is things such as more parkland for Mount Gravatt; funding for upgrades to pools, schools and the veterans health hub; funding for every sporting club and school in my electorate; improving cycling safety; and building more public housing. You do it by celebrating with your community, which is why every year we run the Seville Road State School Family Fun Day and we work with groups such as Mark Joe Hope Music and the Holland Park Girl Guides. We run community networking nights and health professional networking nights. We bring together small businesses and community groups to build community.

I love working with Cath and Dave Twomey who run the Coorparoo Christmas carols. I know the Courier-Mail has been making a list of members of parliament who perform music, sing et cetera. I am putting them on my naughty list because I have been writing a Christmas carol every year for the past five years and I did not even get a look in. I am devastated. I have almost enough carols to put out a Christmas album. Look out, member for Maroochydore; I am coming.

We celebrate community by going to lots of fetes such as those at Marshall Road, Mount Carmel, St Joachims, St James and Holland Park State School. We all know that a big part of building your community is comforting your community. Working with the amazing Sue and Lloyd Clarke over the past four years, after the terrible and tragic murder of their daughter and grandkids, has been particularly special. We come together every year thanks to the really great work of the Holland Park, Mount Gravatt and Coorparoo RSL branches for Anzac Day and Remembrance Day. For me, it is very special to stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian Community of Queensland thanks to the leadership of their president, Peter Bongiorni.

You build community by working nonstop as a volunteer as I do with Victor Scouts, Holland Park Lions and the Coorparoo School of Arts. There are too many great people in our community to thank all of them, but here are a few more who deserve a mention: Johnny Godwin from Inspiring Brighter Futures; Sharon Flannery from the Holland Park Hawks; David Waldie from Easts Rugby Union; Nola

854 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

Duncan from the Metro District Netball Association; Zac Grenich from Brisbane Metro Touch Association; Stephanie Ford and the team from Norman Creek Catchment Committee; Michael and Karen Weibler from the Our Stones Corner team and Books@Stones; as well as Sarah Lavelle and Braam Du Toit, my friends from the Greenslopes Neighbourhood Watch.

Our community has been built by our amazing volunteers at our P&Cs, our P&Fs, our local sporting clubs, our Meals on Wheels hubs, our Lions clubs, our Scouts, our Girl Guides and our churches. I will certainly work hard over the next four years to help these groups promote volunteering in our community.

I listened to my community, and the commitments I made at the election reflect the things that the community told me we need. We need more investment in local schools, like creating the capacity for growth at Greenslopes State School because it is growing. We need to upgrade the school pools because they are all very old. We need to keep cyclists safer by building that overpass at Birdwood Road. We need to create more parkland in Stones Corner and Mount Gravatt. We need to build more social housing. We need to invest in our local sporting clubs, like Easts Rugby Union, which is Australia’s biggest and best Rugby club. We need a new police station at Stones Corner. I will be working hard to deliver on these commitments and continue the great work our government did investing in my community.

The last time the LNP were in power my electorate got nothing, and they even had an LNP member in the seat! I would go as far as to say they got less than nothing. They were promised a hall at Cavendish Road but it was taken away and given to The Gap State High School by none other than Campbell Newman. Our schools and sporting clubs got nothing and we did not get any police facilities, cycling infrastructure or public housing.

I was proud to be part of a government that created jobs, that built things that our community needed, that took real action on climate change, that worked to reduce domestic violence and that provided real leadership to people and families around cost of living. When parties lose an election, they had better listen to the people or they will spend a long time on this side of the House. I think we got a lot of things right but, clearly, we have to acknowledge there were key issues that people in Queensland felt we were not getting right.

The people of Queensland are concerned about crime, victims of crime and community safety. They are concerned about housing and want to deliver a world-class Olympic Games. We will certainly listen to the people of Queensland and we will present policies to address these issues going forward and address the new issues as they inevitably come up. The LNP have made big promises in all of these areas, and every member on this side of the House will be working hard to hold the government to account for these promises.

I will turn now to my shadow assistant ministry portfolio. I am hugely honoured to have been given the opportunity to assist in the health portfolio. I have already visited several areas of our state and I will continue to work with the shadow health minister, the member for Miller, to engage with and listen to patients and health workers. There are some issues in health that I am passionate about. I want to: restore our faith in vaccinations; improve palliative care; prevent bias against people with disabilities; strengthen primary care; ensure health professionals work to their full scope of practice; ensure the mental health levy is rolled out effectively; protect and enhance safe patient-to-nursing and midwifery ratios; improve veterans’ health; reduce the impact of addictive substances, particularly on young people; and get much better services for people impacted by progressive neurological diseases, particularly Parkinson’s disease.

The LNP have also made some big commitments in the health area in relation to ramping and maternity care. I will be working with every member on this side of the House to hold the LNP accountable in health. The first few months have not been that great. There have been cuts to the rural health workforce attraction scheme, hours reduced at regional nurse-led clinics and games played with much of the health infrastructure. We have seen pill testing on the chopping block. We have seen a review ordered into the practices of gender clinics.

It has not been all about cuts, though. The government have found $200,000 to rename satellite hospitals. If that is what they care about, I do not know how they can take themselves seriously. Frankly, the linguistic gymnastics I have heard on this are truly surreal. If this is your big-ticket priority, it will be a long four years for Queenslanders with not much improvement to health services. What is next? Will we rename the cat hospital on Creek Road in case someone mistakenly goes there? Is the Doll and Teddy Hospital in Stones Corner next on the LNP’s hit list? Seriously! What is this nonsense? The cuts we have already seen are a worry for Queensland.

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 855

If you want to fix ramping, you build more hospital beds. That is what was happening, and I hope we do not see any more cuts to those programs. I will do all I can to make sure Queenslanders get the best health care possible.

I know I have had a bit of a dig here today at the LNP, but it would not be right to let our one remaining Greens MP off the hook. I love my Rugby League. In my lifetime I have seen some classic examples of players celebrating a try before they put the ball down. Perhaps I have even done a little bit of that myself in my glorious, lengthy and illustrious Rugby League career. When it comes to that sort of behaviour, the Greens would make the run-on side for Australia. In fact, they would make the team of the century. They were not even on the field of play, let alone anywhere near the tryline, when they were claiming victory in Greenslopes and nine other seats.

Once again, their behaviour at the polling booth in my electorate was appalling. They showed they were prepared to tell outright lies about me to try to win. Didn’t that work out well for them! It was nice to have the Greens candidate for Hinchinbrook and several other seats spend their whole two weeks at the Greenslopes pre-poll voting centre. I am not sure how many voters from Hinchinbrook came through Greenslopes, but I reckon if I were running for Hinchinbrook I would actually want to visit during the election period, or at least be able to find it on the map. It would be remiss of me not to congratulate the KAP and the member for Hinchinbrook for fending off yet another brutal attack from the Greens in the seat of Hinchinbrook.

The other feedback I got frequently during my campaign was how sick and tired voters were of being harassed by Greens volunteers. We all knock on doors. I do not want to be the one to break it to the Greens, but they did not invent doorknocking. People from every political party have been doing doorknocking for as long as I can remember, and there are some people in this chamber who are older than me who probably remember even further back than I do. We all knock on doors, but our party does not use hard-sell tactics to stick the foot in the door and dominate the time of a constituent. One of the most shameful things that was reported to me was of vulnerable relatives being preyed on by the Greens and being hard sold to. There was also the game of putting signs on houses they did not have permission to put them on—we know they did that because we caught them out.

There you have it. Apparently, they do politics very differently. They certainly do it differently from me. They harass voters. They lie. They prey on vulnerable people. They have dodgy yard sign practices.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Lister): Member for Greenslopes, you have just used an unparliamentary term. I ask you to withdraw, please.

Mr J KELLY: I withdraw. Let’s move beyond the negativity of the Greens. I will finish where I began: with my community. It is truly a great community and I am very honoured to represent it. I work hard for our community and I am so pleased to have been part of this community for nearly 30 years. We are so blessed with so many great people in our community, in our community groups and in our small businesses who work together. It has been a truly wonderful place to raise a family with my wife. I have given this commitment before and I will give it again to the people of my community: I will work every day with you to build community.

Hon. JH LANGBROEK (Surfers Paradise—LNP) (Minister for Education and the Arts) (5.37 pm): The worm always turns. After nine years, eight months and 26 days in opposition, 26 October 2024 was a mighty moment of redemption. I vividly recall losing government on 31 January 2015, partly because I had to spend six hours on Channel 9 with photos of former colleagues being flushed down the metaphorical toilet and partly because it was also my birthday. Whilst I will always be appreciative of winning my seat, it was a particularly difficult night.

This victory meant more to me than 2012. Honourable members who have been here for a long time will appreciate that victories are meant to be enjoyed because they only come after a lot of hard work. That is certainly something that those of us who were in opposition for three terms—with the members for Nanango and Clayfield as leaders and then with the member for Broadwater leading us to victory—appreciate.

I want to thank Lawrence Springborg, my good friend, and Ben Riley, the state director. I served with Lawrence when I first came to this place in 2004. I want to thank him for his leadership. I know that you will attest to this as well, Deputy Speaker Lister: since taking over as president, he has steered our party. He set three core tasks for us: find strong candidates, raise funds and support the leader. We have not always had presidents who have done that, but he allowed the parliamentary team to focus on policy and politics, which led to our historic success. He stayed in his lane and he had the party do the same thing. We know that it was the united party that subsequently went on to succeed.

856 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

I thank the Governor, Her Excellency Dr Jeannette Young, for her generosity of spirit in welcoming the new government, both formally and informally. I acknowledge her tireless service and constant engagement with Queenslanders across our great state. I saw her and her husband last night at Bushkids. We see her quite regularly. My wife, Stacey, and I are looking forward to going to dinner at Government House next week for an arts function. I know that all members appreciate the work that our Governor does across the state and enjoy engaging with her work.

I congratulate the Speaker, Pat Weir, on his ascension to that esteemed role in the 58th Parliament of Queensland and on keeping Condamine as one of our safest LNP regional seats, alongside Minister Leahy in Warrego and new MP Sean Dillon in Gregory. As arts minister, can I recommend a good artist for his portrait when the time comes.

I thank the voters of Surfers Paradise for returning me after my ninth election for my eighth term in the 58th Parliament. It is truly a privilege to represent the vibrant community of Surfers Paradise—a duty I undertake with great commitment. Sitting next to me tonight is the youngest member of the cabinet, the member for Bonney, who has become a very good friend. He has done a great job in his seat, as have all 10 returning members on the Gold Coast. The trade minister sits in front of me. To see the result on the Gold Coast was quite remarkable. Those of the city are appreciative of the work the LNP has done for it. We certainly enjoy working together in this cabinet.

I thank my SEC volunteers and my chair, Trent Belling, who is the regional chair of the LNP. He is someone who has worked very hard both on my behalf and on behalf of our party. He serves on the finance committee. He has been a diligent supporter, along with my family and my wife, Stacey. Whilst she does not necessarily participate a lot in the electoral process, she has been a wonderful supporter of mine. My family is a very tight unit. Like all members, I thank my volunteers and party people—the people who man the pre-poll booths. Stacey did that with her girlfriends for long hours. We saw more of my One Nation opponent than we did my Labor Party opponent. I will turn to that in a few moments.

I congratulate Premier David Crisafulli, his wife, Tegan, and their daughters, Nicola and Georgia, who endured the worst of Labor’s sordid tactics. I have heard the Premier speak about this. He gets quite emotional about it. I have not gone through the rigours that he went through in that election campaign, but I know it was very difficult for the whole family. As other members have mentioned, we should consider the effect that our behaviour in this chamber has on our family members.

Mrs Frecklington: Particularly children. Mr LANGBROEK: It is increasingly difficult, especially for children, as the member for Nanango,

the Attorney-General, has just said.

I have known the Premier since 2004, when, as the newly elected member for Surfers Paradise, I went to Townsville to meet the new Liberal councillor elected to the Townsville City Council. I walked into the office of then senator Ian Macdonald and I met David Crisafulli, who was 24 years old, and Fay Barker, the other Liberal councillor. Craig Wallace, a former minister and former member for Thuringowa, said to me that that was ‘the longest Labor administration in Australia’.

The effort of the now Premier, as a then councillor, along with Les Tyrell, following the amalgamation of the Thuringowa council and the Townsville council, brought about the demise of the longest administration in Australia’s history. The focus that he brought to that task he subsequently brought to our parliament. He experienced defeat in 2012. He dismantled that Labor council. That focus proved instrumental in the 57th Parliament and culminated in our triumph on 26 October 2024. I know that this side congratulates him for that.

As I have said, it is an honour to, once again, represent the people of Surfers Paradise in this chamber, now as the Minister for Education and the Arts. This is a portfolio that embodies progress, creativity and opportunity. Yesterday I was at West End State School’s 150th anniversary. I defy anyone not to see the hope and enthusiasm of the students and their families, the teachers and the principals who work so hard in our 1,266 state schools and in our over 500 non-state schools. It is a great privilege to have been given this portfolio.

I think it is the most positive portfolio in government. I do not mean to cast aspersions on any other portfolio. Health is something that people really do not want to be involved with. I am talking about needing hospital and health services. In terms of education, we all hope for the best for our children. That is what the combination of education and the arts also offers.

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 857

It is not my first time in this role. I served as the minister for education from 2012 to 2015. I briefly acted as minister for the arts in 2013 when my colleague the member for Mudgeeraba—the now trade minister—needed my assistance. I thank her for the opportunity then. It is wonderful to now be in that portfolio. I recommit myself to delivering meaningful outcomes for Queenslanders.

I now turn to some of the less pleasant aspects of the election campaign. The arrogance of Labor was on full display even in defeat—as evidenced by the Leader of the Opposition’s election night non-concession speech and his deluded claim that no-one could form a majority, even as the votes proved otherwise. I refer to an article in the Australian dated 28 October 2024 titled ‘Good Riddance to Miles ...’. I will quote from some letters to the editor in response to that article. I have many things to table. It is difficult to find the right one. One letter to the editor states—

Never have I heard such a deluded and graceless speech as that delivered by Steven Miles.

Another stated—

Steven Miles, conceding defeat in the most undignified manner possible ... revealed his true colours, which will forever follow his character ...

Another stated—

I cannot remember any other leader, no matter what party, not conceding nor offering congratulations to the new incumbent during his election night address, when clearly defeated.

I table that article.

Tabled paper: Extract from a media article, dated 28 October 2024, titled ‘Good riddance to Miles, but Crisafulli will need help’ [313].

Meanwhile, let us tell it for what it was. Former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was defeated by the only person she feared in opposition. She once dismissed him as ‘the other bloke’. She once declared—and I remember this at the beginning of the last term—‘I don’t care who they put up.’ The arrogance was unbelievable. That became evident through the term. Let’s face it, she did not even see out the term when faced with the most effective Queensland opposition leader since Wayne Goss.

Senator Murray Watt has acknowledged that Labor’s candidates on the Gold Coast were and are of poor quality. It is evident in the fact that 10 of the 11 seats remain LNP, with the member for Gaven narrowly retaining her seat after a scurrilous campaign focused on the non-issue of abortion. Hopefully, she has learned that the people of the Gold Coast always reject divisive identity politics that she and her partner employed. I table an article from the Gold Coast Bulletin titled ‘Labor “missing” in seat’. I have already mentioned that there was very little fight put up by the Labor candidate in my seat. There was more activity on the ground at pre-poll and later by the One Nation candidate. I table that article.

Tabled paper: Article from the Gold Coast Bulletin, dated 18 October 2024, titled ‘Labor “missing” in seat’ [314].

It is a reflection of the lack of activity of the Labor Party that they did not even bother trying in a lot of those seats. That is an indictment on them. The LNP stands people in every seat and works hard in every seat, but Labor are clearly becoming narrower and narrower in their attempts.

I note that the member for Gaven’s leaked stance on the Making Queensland Safer Laws put her at odds with her own leader, an untenable position for a shadow attorney-general in a divided caucus. I mentioned the Gold Coast Bulletin article—that Labor all but turned their back on the Gold Coast.

Queenslanders also rejected Labor’s economic recklessness, with Cameron Dick, the member for Woodridge, proving to be the most irresponsible treasurer since Andrew Fraser and Jackie Trad. Labor’s $1.4 billion school lunch policy—funded entirely by debt—is a hallmark of their fiscal mismanagement. I table an article from the Courier-Mail, dated 14 October 2024, titled ‘Premier’s $1.4bn lunch cash splash could be better spent elsewhere’.

Tabled paper: Media article, dated 14 October 2024, titled ‘Premier’s $1.4bn lunch cash splash could be better spent elsewhere’ [315].

Even the Queensland Teachers’ Union said it was the wrong policy. Even the Queensland Association of State School Principals said Labor had the wrong priorities. We saw continual efforts by then treasurer Cameron Dick, who sent letters to people—and I am going to table two of them. One is to the AEIOU Foundation. On the eve of the election, 23 October 2024, they were just scaremongering

858 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

instead of trying to offer people some sort of policy for which they might be inclined to vote for the Labor Party. It says, ‘David Crisafulli and the LNP have offered no vision other than to cut.’ That is an example of the simplistic notions we have heard from those opposite. I table that letter to the AEIOU Foundation.

Tabled paper: Letter, dated 23 October 2024, from the former deputy premier, treasurer and minister for trade and investment, Hon. Cameron Dick, to the Chief Executive Officer, AEIOU Foundation, Mr Alan Smith, regarding the AEIOU Foundation’s state election priorities [316].

When I was shadow minister for disability services, a letter was sent to Marjorie Pagani, Chief Executive Officer of Angel Flight Australia, once again by Cameron Dick, on 8 October 2024. It says, ‘Mr Crisafulli is a risk to Queensland and he will cut what matters to Queenslanders just like the LNP did last time.’ This was the negativity we saw from Labor. They had nothing positive to say. I table that letter. It just shows how out of touch the Labor Party was on the eve of this election. Tabled paper: Letter, dated 8 October 2024, from the former deputy premier, treasurer and minister for trade and investment, Hon. Cameron Dick, to the Chief Executive Officer, Angel Flight Australia, Ms Marjorie Pagani, regarding a joint proposal between Angel Flight and HeartKids for Indigenous Heart Health Australia [317].

I also remember vividly sitting opposite, just over there, when Jackie Trad, who is no longer here, looked across at me and said—I was sitting there during a debate; there is just no need for things like this—‘I’d give up too if I were you.’ That is the sort of attitude we get. We have heard from those opposite who are now implying that members on this side are nasty. We have had 10 years of being derided by those opposite. Everyone needs to lift their standards in this place, but the opposition are not doing themselves any favours at the moment. Jackie Trad lost her own seat of South Brisbane due to recklessness, arrogance and the born-to-rule mentality that still infects those opposite and that has increasingly grown since 1989. She believed that she could do whatever she wanted, just as Labor’s 2024 election platform demonstrated.

I turn to another former member, Kate Jones. I table an article from the Australian titled ‘How former Queensland Labor minister Kate Jones secured key government meetings for her rich-lister boss’. Tabled paper: Media article, dated 4 October 2024, titled ‘How former Queensland Labor minister Kate Jones secured key government meetings for her rich-lister boss’ [318].

We have heard today about inappropriate actions, about integrity and about appointments of officials, yet there are serious questions that have never been answered by that former member—a former education minister, a former tourism minister, a former senior minister in government—bragging about how she brought down a premier and installed another premier. There are clearly questions to answer about actions that she has taken. She still holds prominent positions, including on the Gold Coast and including for national sporting events. There are questions about integrity that the Labor Party and Ms Jones need to answer.

I turn to another example in my former portfolio of multiculturalism of reckless Labor behaviour— the comments of the member for Cairns, Michael Healy, who expressed anti-Israel statements on Facebook. He repeatedly advocated for Australia to emulate Ireland in boycotting Israel, referring to it as an ‘apartheid state’. I table an article in the Australian from 11 October 2024 titled ‘Above the ministerial paygrade’. Tabled paper: Article from the Australian, dated 11 October 2024, titled ‘Above the ministerial paygrade’ [319].

The issues we have seen when it comes to anti-Semitism—writ large just last week at the Queensland Music Awards—are in no small part due to the inaction of those opposite since 7 October 2023. I have been at a number of rallies since October 2023 with up to four other members of our now government—the member for Kawana, the now Deputy Premier; the member for Maroochydore; the now member for Burleigh but then in his role as a councillor or even as a candidate; and the member for Clayfield. We have all been at rallies such as Never Again is Now, Yom HaShoah and Kristallnacht. There was only one member opposite whom I ever saw at those rallies, and that was the member for Jordan in her short time as then minister for multiculturalism. I never saw anyone else from the Labor Party at any of those rallies at which we rejected division, we rejected racism and we rejected the type of behaviour that has led to the incidents we saw at the Queensland Music Awards just last week. That is why we have issued a strong ‘please explain’ to the Queensland Music Awards—and we have had a response from Viv Mellish from QMusic, saying that they are committed to working harder with their constituents to make sure there is a spirit of inclusivity and to make sure there are no further incidents like we saw that night.

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 859

Having said that, they did not cancel the Oscars after Marlon Brando sent an Indian woman to complain about the treatment of native Indians. They still present the Academy Awards, so let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. The important thing is that we need to make sure there are better actions from representative organisations. Certainly, there need to be better actions than those opposite have shown since October 2023.

The Leader of the Opposition’s disdain for the private sector is well documented. We recall his October 2024 proposal to establish a state owned energy retailer, claiming that energy privatisation had failed consumers and that his plan would put people before profits.

As Minister for Education, I am committed to ensuring that our schools equip students with the skills and knowledge they need in a changing world. The Crisafulli government has already implemented a 25 per cent reduction in red tape, as a result of a consultation committee. I was at Ripley Central State School on Monday this week seeing that consultation in action. We have already announced $44 million for the schools behaviour management boost. Members on all sides will have seen their schools receive that, as well as critical infrastructure upgrades.

Of course, I have also been tasked with improving NAPLAN results, improving academic assessment, making sure that our schools are safer places, improving issues of declining morale, putting the focus back on literacy and numeracy and sorting out the funding issues, which we did last week. I want to thank the Treasurer and the Premier for their commitment, contributing over $10 billion over the next decade. The federal government is contributing $2.8 billion. This government has done something those opposite could not do, and we have done it four years before they said they would do it.

We know that bullying in schools is a serious issue. I wanted to talk about social media but time has eluded me. I want to thank this House and all of the staff here for all the work they do for us. It is a great privilege to be here. I look forward to serving on and on into this parliament.

Ms MULLEN (Jordan—ALP) (5.57 pm): It is with great pride that I stand in the chamber re-elected as the state member for Jordan for the third time. I would like to congratulate all of the members who have been returned and welcome the new members to the 58th Parliament.

When I walked out of this chamber on the last sitting day of the 57th Parliament, I reflected on what a privilege and a responsibility it is to serve in this parliament. Each and every day that we are here we are making decisions that have a profound effect on individuals, families, organisations and businesses—indeed a privilege and a responsibility.

We no longer live in an era where governments and citizens operate in separate spheres. Driven particularly by advancements in technology, the engagement between a government and its citizens has in many ways transcended barriers. Whilst the anonymity of social media certainly provides plenty of ‘feedback’, I continue to believe that direct human contact and dialogue has never been more important or valuable.

Whilst the thought of standing for two weeks at an early voting booth is certainly not everyone’s idea of a good time, I embrace it wholeheartedly. There are the generous and kind comments that warm your tired heart—and feet. There are the people who want to let you know that you helped them in some way, big or small, and sometimes they brought a tear to your eye. There are the voters who were not happy with the direction you took and who wanted to explain their reasoning for not supporting you this time—it was important to really listen to what they were saying. There are those who had yet to make up their mind and sought to engage you in a discussion on the issues that matter to them and what you would do or what policies you support. Those were my favourite moments.

These are the moments where you cannot hide behind a slogan or dismiss something as not being in a plan. These are the moments when you must stand true to who you are, to what you will do and in what you believe. There were many of those moments during this election campaign: the women—and some men—who approached me to confirm my position on women’s reproductive rights in Queensland or how I felt about voluntary assisted dying. It was easy for me to answer because, unlike some, my views and feelings on these important issues had not suddenly changed.

I spoke to many in my community about crime, particularly youth crime. I acknowledge that, whilst the root causes of crime are deeply complex and the initiatives we set in place were beginning to yield results, too many people continued to feel unsafe in their homes. This meant we were failing them. The

860 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

new LNP government has made a lot of promises to the people of Queensland when it comes to reducing crime. They were not particularly detailed promises, but many Queenslanders have put their faith and vote in this new LNP government based on the singular issue of crime, and they will need to satisfy the community’s expectations and beliefs.

The opposition warned the government that rushing their crime laws before Christmas without full and proper consideration would have unintended consequences. We have seen that come to pass and we have seen some of the most heinous crimes since their laws were enacted. The LNP have also indicated they will deliver the significant infrastructure that our growing Queensland needs—from roads, to rail, to hospitals, to new dams, to pumped hydro, as well as Olympic infrastructure, whilst at the same time they will lower debt, reduce taxes and rule out asset sales or job cuts.

At a time of unprecedented construction activity in our country with ongoing labour shortages, the demand for a construction workforce has never been higher. Most serious economic analysts confirm that, on wage cost drivers, an underinvestment in the pipeline of key trades—that is, the number of people choosing construction related vocational training or apprenticeships—has contributed to wage cost escalation. This, of course, is something that our Labor government sought to address through initiatives such as free TAFE and with direct financial support for construction apprentices as well as rebuilding QBuild, which had been decimated under the former LNP government. We wait with bated breath to see how the new government will achieve their promised cost savings on major government infrastructure projects. Will this LNP government have the ambition and fortitude to progress our new hospitals and expansions, our public transport projects and our energy infrastructure, or will they continue to make excuses with all of their pausing and in fact take our state backwards?

My electorate of Jordan straddles two of the fastest growing regions in South-East Queensland: Ipswich and Logan. Keeping up with this significant population growth means that infrastructure was, and will always be, a priority for my constituents. When I ran in 2017, I did so because I could see some of the immediate and long-standing issues that needed to be fixed in our community. This included, but was not limited to: solving the parking issues at Springfield Central Station; getting a solution to the Centenary Highway-Logan Motorway interchange; getting public transport for the communities in Greenbank and Flagstone; and fixing the bus services in our Ipswich area. I am very proud to say that in the last four years we addressed those issues. We opened our magnificent $44.5 million multistorey park-and-ride at Springfield Central Station, which is providing reliable parking for hundreds of commuters. We upgraded the Centenary Highway-Logan Motorway interchange, which has cleared a major congestion hotspot for my community. We delivered the first ever bus service for Greenbank and Flagstone and announced an expansion of that service, and we saw major improvements to our local Ipswich bus services with more services and expansions committed by our government.

These are a fraction of the many things that, with the support of our Labor government, we were able to achieve for our Jordan community. One of the most significant achievements for me will be the delivery of a new public hospital for Greater Springfield. This is something that I strongly championed and fought hard to secure. It will be an important legacy of what good Labor governments do. Working in partnership with Mater Health Services, construction is now well underway, and by early 2026 we will see 174 new public overnight and same-day beds, an intensive care unit, a much needed emergency department, the renowned Mater Mothers’ maternity services and additional high level clinical services. Last September I was also thrilled to announce that our Labor government had approved a brand new 12-bed paediatric unit. With so many young families in Greater Springfield and surrounds, this is a welcome inclusion to the new hospital. It is a great relief to local parents to know that their children will receive quality health care closer to home.

I am now looking at future health services for the growing parts of my electorate, particularly around Greater Flagstone. During the 2024 state election I made an important commitment to progress the planning for a mixed-use health precinct in Flagstone. Whilst I have no doubt that Greater Flagstone will need a new hospital in the future, there is now an opportunity to provide early and much needed health services. My pledge of $500,000 to progress a business case would have seen an investigation into the health service mix, which could provide for an ambulatory care/urgent care clinic as well as a range of allied health and community health services. The business case would also confirm a suitable site within the Flagstone Town Centre as well as the opportunity to co-locate other government agency services such as a police beat. This is something I will continue to pursue with the new government, as Greater Flagstone will see significant growth over the next few years. With more developments opening up in this part of Logan as part of the priority development area, there will be a need to secure more infrastructure and services to meet what will be a massive population surge.

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 861

The construction of roads will also be important for this part of our region. Our Labor government provided millions in funding through the Catalyst Infrastructure Fund for extensions to New Beith Road and Teviot Road as well as Mountain Ridge Road and Flinders Lakes Drive. My community is also crying out for an upgrade to the Springfield Greenbank Arterial, which is a local road under the responsibility of both Logan City Council and Ipswich City Council. I am keen to continue working with both councils on how we progress this important upgrade which connects two distinctive parts of the Jordan electorate: Greater Springfield and Greater Flagstone.

Another important project I have been championing has been upgrades to the Centenary Motorway. With the Logan Motorway interchange completed and the exit 32 upgrade to Springfield now completed, my mind has turned to the next important section: fixing exit 31 and a duplication through to exit 33. I know that our Labor government committed funding to progress the next stage of planning for the Centenary Motorway from Darra to Yamanto. Along with my parliamentary colleagues in Bundamba, Ipswich, Ipswich West and Mount Ommaney, we will be eagle-eyed to ensure that this work continues under the LNP and is not cut or diminished in any way.

We know that reducing congestion on our busy roads and highways is critical, which is why our 50-cent public transport fares are so important. Why should those who live further away from the city, usually because housing is more affordable, be effectively penalised by paying more for fares than those living in inner Brisbane? It was a question that many of our Labor outer metropolitan MPs raised with our then premier, and I wish to thank him for his leadership on this important policy initiative. As a fellow outer metropolitan member, he recognised the inequity that was built into our public transport fare system and he responded. My community strongly supported 50-cent fares. Whilst the LNP may now pretend they supported the idea all along—remember the member for Chatsworth saying ‘it’s a con’, or the member for Pumicestone saying it wasn’t in their plan, or even now shamelessly and embarrassingly trying to claim it as their own idea—Queenslanders are smart and recognise that this was, and always will be, a Labor initiative.

I would like to also thank the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader for their leadership, particularly through 2024. This was clearly reflected in some of the key policy initiatives released during this time, including Homes for Queenslanders, our Community Safety Plan and Putting Queensland Kids First. I am very proud to have served as a minister in the Miles government in the important areas of child safety, disability services, seniors and multicultural affairs. I am proud of the things I was able to achieve in 10 short months alongside my hardworking ministerial advisory team and our dedicated and professional public servants. This included: passing our Child Safe Organisations laws; removing blue card requirements for kinship carers; securing more funding for our early intervention programs; and progressing the rollout of delegated authority, which I know is making a tangible difference for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who are over-represented in the child safety system.

I was pleased to deliver the Queensland government response to the disability royal commission and secure initial funding of $160 million to progress the implementation of our response whilst also progressing national negotiations on NDIS reform and disability foundational supports for Queensland. We also finalised and introduced legislation on reforming restrictive practices in Queensland, and I hope the new government will continue to progress those important reforms. We delivered a new Queensland Seniors Strategy, a new Queensland carers strategy and the fourth Queensland Multicultural Action Plan.

I am deeply honoured to continue to serve as the shadow minister for multicultural affairs. As the daughter of migrants, I bring a very personal perspective to this role. I have a deep passion for ensuring we continue to celebrate, champion and provide ongoing support for our many incredible culturally and linguistically diverse communities across Queensland. I am also excited about taking on the role of shadow minister for public works. With a background in planning, development and infrastructure for over a decade before I entered parliament, it is good to be able to make a contribution in this critical portfolio for our state.

In Jordan, I am very proud of the campaign that we fought. Once again, it was a positive, engaged campaign that highlighted our considerable achievements and made a number of important commitments that focused on the needs and aspirations of our community. I would like to express my deepest thanks to our incredible group of volunteers on the Jordan campaign. Our result really reflects the work of so many over many years—Saturday morning street stalls and high visibility, making phone calls, doorknocking, letterboxing, putting up hundreds of signs, helping out at the early voting and election day booths.

862 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

We had, of course, the devoted members from our wonderful Labor family, and I am extremely grateful to our mighty Greater Springfield ALP branch. I wish to particularly acknowledge the executive members, Bec Andlemac, Michelle Alesana and Brenton Hill, as well as our all-important treasurer, Vince Atley, for their support. I want to also thank those from our community who were not members of the Labor Party but who wanted to support me personally or believed in what Labor was fighting for this election, particularly Tracy, Rhonwyn and Fabian, as well as members of our Springfield Malayalee Association. I will never forget that you stood with me when it counted.

There were four other candidates on the ballot in Jordan this time. Three did not show their faces at all during the election. Whilst having paper candidates is certainly easier on those who bother to show up for their communities, it is an indictment to see parties like One Nation treat the electorate with such contempt and clearly only nominate candidates to get the public funding on offer. In fact, the One Nation candidate for Jordan did not even know what electorate he had nominated for—referencing the voters of Mount Ommaney on their One Nation page.

I want to once again thank my incredible electorate office team, Fran Bell and Rose Kildey. They have both been with me since 2018 and we really are a package deal in Jordan. They work extremely hard and continue to serve the community with grace, humour and a willingness to go above and beyond to help anyone who reaches out to our office, no matter how difficult the issues or the circumstances.

Thank you also to our Labor Party HQ team, Kate, Zac, Bella and Meredith. I am very grateful for your support as well as the support of my union, the Australian Workers’ Union. Thank you, Stacey Schinnerl and team, for your continued support. Thank you also to Milton Dick MP, the federal member for Oxley, who continues to be one of my greatest supporters and closest friends, more than 30 years after we first met as youngsters at the UQ Labor Club. Thank you to Shayne Neumann MP for his support as well.

Finally, to my beautiful family—my husband, Sean, and daughters, Zoe and Mary. They sacrifice a lot for the opportunity that I have been gifted, but I know that without them none of this would have real meaning or purpose. It is truly the greatest privilege to be part of our family. I love you all so much. To my darling dad, Leon, my beautiful mother, Katherine, and my brothers and their families: I always say—and it bears repeating—that being part of a Greek family is truly a gift. You yell to be heard, you are always well fed and you never have any doubt about how much you are loved.

Moving to the opposition benches has certainly brought a different perspective, but I am certainly up for the challenge of keeping this LNP government to account and being open to the new opportunities that this role brings. What will not change is the great love for my community, and I will continue to serve with energy and enthusiasm and with the deepest gratitude for the amazing people of the Jordan electorate who have once again given me the opportunity and the honour to advocate for them and represent them in the 58th Parliament.

Hon. RM BATES (Mudgeeraba—LNP) (Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training) (6.13 pm): I rise to thank my community for the opportunity to continue to serve them for another four years. This marks my sixth term representing the electorate of Mudgeeraba in this parliament, and I remain as committed to tirelessly serving our community as the day I first stood in this place. It is my great privilege and honour to be an advocate for our community in the Queensland parliament, and I am deeply grateful for the ongoing support and encouragement from locals across my electorate—from Austinville and Advancetown, to Bonogin, Carrara, Clagiraba, Lower Beechmont, Gilston, Merrimac, Mudgeeraba, Natural Bridge, Neranwood, Numinbah Valley, Reedy Creek, Robina, Springbrook, Tallai, parts of Tallebudgera Valley and Worongary.

While of course elections are about much more than polling statistics, it is humbling to reflect on the fact that I have been elected on first preferences in this past election. It is an incredible result which I consider to be a sign of the trust my community has in my ability to continue to deliver for them in this place. I will continue to work tirelessly to repay this faith, just as I have done since my election in 2009.

As always, I wish to thank my incredible team of volunteers for their efforts in delivering this result. There are so many people to mention, but special thanks go to my friends Richard and Cheryl Royle for giving up two weeks of their lives to help me. Thank you to Richard, who fed me for the two weeks of the pre-polling part of the campaign.

Election campaigns are a significant undertaking, and it simply would not be possible without the tireless efforts of many locals who selflessly gave up their time to help around the electorate. Thank you for the countless hours manning booths, scrutinising votes, putting up and pulling down signage, and doing the numerous other tasks that are critical to a successful campaign. Your hard work did not

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 863

go unnoticed, and I wish to thank each and every incredible volunteer who lent a helping hand. A special thank you in particular must go to my amazing electorate office staff, Nicole, Hannah and Lisa. You were just extraordinary during this campaign.

My thanks also go to the many local sporting clubs and community groups who give so much back to our community. Anyone who knows me knows how proud I am to be patron of many amazing grassroots clubs, and I have the jersey for every one of my local clubs to prove it. I look forward to continuing to support your efforts on the sporting fields across our Mudgeeraba electorate.

I wish to also acknowledge our many wonderful local schools, who are now in their final week of term 1. All of my schools know how much I enjoy welcoming local students to this place each year, and I look forward to attending many more tours and mock parliaments over the years to come.

Last but certainly not least, thank you to my family, who have been my tireless supporters over many years and many campaigns. My sisters, Josie and Cath, and my children, Ben, Greg and Jill, and their partners, Tom and Mai: thank you for everything you have done and everything you continue to do.

In previous years I have used my address-in-reply as an opportunity to reflect on our local campaigns for upgrades and important projects as well as to highlight the many wins we have had for our community—a report card of sorts. I am proud to have delivered many significant upgrades and new investment in infrastructure for our community over the years, despite the significant roadblocks from a Labor government that was not interested in delivering for Mudgeeraba constituents.

Despite this, I have never stopped fighting for our community and the investment and infrastructure we need. Since my last address-in-reply we have seen the completion of the Nerang-Murwillumbah Road upgrade. This saw a total of $38.11 million into much needed safety improvements which I have been calling for over many years. This included: wide-centre-line marking from Beaudesert-Nerang Road to Tangara Road; a number of channelised right turns down the road; pavement widening and sealing; the installation and modification of safety barriers, including motorcycle underrun protection; vegetation clearing to increase visibility; and the installation and modification of warning signs and line markings.

Since my last address-in-reply, I have also been very pleased to see a footpath between Forestry Road and Carricks Road finally built for the schoolkids in Springbrook. This is something I have been speaking about for many years, and I am proud that this has finally been delivered for our Springbrook community to ensure students can walk safely on this dangerous stretch of road. As I have reflected upon before in this place, as more people continue to call the Mudgeeraba electorate home we need the road infrastructure—and, indeed, infrastructure more generally—to keep pace with population growth.

The Gold Coast is renowned for our incredible lifestyle, and it is essential that we continue to ensure that locals can enjoy this special part of Queensland with services and infrastructure they expect and indeed deserve. On the topic of road infrastructure, it is no secret that I have raised the need for local upgrades to places like the Austinville causeway many times over the years. In fact, the Department of Transport and Main Roads have already done significant planning in relation to an upgrade to the Austinville causeway following my relentless advocacy, and I thank the Minister for Transport and Main Roads. TMR plans suggested an upgrade will include: constructing upstream wing walls to prevent debris blockage; improving the road alignment; constructing new pavements on both approaches to the causeway; and constructing retaining walls. It is disappointing that the former Labor government sat on these plans since 2019, but in any event I am proud to confirm that this Crisafulli LNP government is getting on with the job of fixing the Austinville causeway. Unlike Labor, we will consult with locals.

On the local schools front, I was very pleased to see the installation of additional flashing school lights during the last parliamentary term, following my continued advocacy on this issue. I am proud to confirm that, as promised, there are even more flashing school lights on their way for local schools. I know how important it is that we have these flashing lights at schools across Mudgeeraba to ensure students can get to school safely by car or by foot. It is something I have spoken about at length in this place, and I will continue to advocate for ways to improve student safety across our community.

I have said many times that the best results in politics come from the local community when government recognises local expertise, provides the necessary support and then gets out of the way of locals getting the job done. It is why I have repeatedly advocated for funding for our local Landcare group to clean up Mudgeeraba Creek which tragically contains all sorts of dumped road rubbish, including on occasions the kitchen sink. These local volunteers have worked on the creek for decades

864 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

and they know it better than anyone else, which is why I have repeatedly called for funding to support their efforts to clean up the creek and bring back the platypus who used to frequent the area. While Queensland Labor ignored this sensible grassroots community solution, the Crisafulli LNP government is already getting on with the job of delivering this funding.

Similarly, our funding commitment to My Community Legal in Robina, which provides free legal advice to locals in need of help, is already in the works, thanks to the Crisafulli LNP government and our wonderful Attorney-General. This is a community legal centre that was ignored time and time again by the former Queensland Labor government, whereas we are doing exactly what we said we would do before the election to support this important pro bono work.

Anyone who has listened to me speak in this place knows I am very passionate about ensuring community safety, and it is no secret that crime is a major concern to the constituents of the Mudgeeraba electorate, as it has been for many years. Indeed, crime has often been front and centre of the minds of Gold Coast locals, from the hooning problems in our valley to incidents of juvenile crime, just like the other day when teens kicked in the windows of a local pharmacy following Cyclone Alfred. I really want to thank again the Minister for Transport and Main Roads and the Minister for Police for recognising that we need CCTV cameras at the corner of Pine Creek Road and Nerang Murwillumbah Road where more than 50 hoons regularly congregate. We will put in the CCTV cameras that the locals in Springbrook and Numinbah Valley have been asking for, for years.

I was also very pleased to be part of the Crisafulli LNP government doing exactly what we said we would do before the election with our first tranche of Making Queensland Safer laws already passed in this place and the second tranche introduced this week. We will continue to listen to the experts and we will be relentless in strengthening Queensland’s laws, ensuring the rights of victims of crime are put before the rights of juveniles. It is obvious that 10 years of weakened laws and dithering on these strategies from the former Labor government will not be able to be fixed overnight, but we are making progress. After a decade of neglect, the Crisafulli LNP government is ensuring there are finally consequences for action in Queensland. In that vein, I am very excited to be part of a proactive Crisafulli LNP government which has got straight to work on delivering our election commitments. We are not wasting time, unlike those opposite who are more interested in a photo op than actually seeing a shovel turning the ground. We are committed to delivering a fresh start for Queensland, and across the board we are already seeing this start to take shape.

I look forward to continuing to fight for the local issues that are important to my constituents, including the infrastructure and investments we need across the electorate of Mudgeeraba. I will continue to be a fierce advocate for our community, and I reiterate my thanks to my community for their faith and trust in re-electing me in this House. In this place, the 58th Parliament, I now have the great privilege of serving as the Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training. As a government, we know there is a significant task ahead to repair a decade of Labor’s economic vandalism and fiscal mismanagement, but we are up for the challenge. Make no mistake, those opposite left Queensland in a sad and sorry state with major challenges across every portfolio and in every region of Queensland. A decade of crisis and chaos will take time to fix, but we are already heading in the right direction. The Crisafulli LNP government will continue to work tirelessly to deliver the fresh start Queenslanders deserve and the fresh start that Queenslanders voted for.

I have already hit the ground running in my portfolio, showcasing the Crisafulli LNP government’s plan for a fresh start for Queensland. In the trade portfolio, we have been letting our industry partners know that, under the Crisafulli LNP government, Queensland is open for business. Those on this side of the House understand the importance of restoring and strengthening our existing trade relationships as well as the need to develop new relationships. Those on this side of the House are also aware that this is not an easy task, given the damage inflicted on our trading relationships by those opposite. I am determined to ensure all of Queensland benefits from improved trade relationships which will create jobs and increase international investment in our Queensland businesses. This will only occur through strengthening bilateral trade ties and ensuring our international partners know that under a Crisafulli LNP government stability, certainty and growth in the trade space are at the forefront of our minds.

Our international trade partners need to have confidence in our state, which was a difficult ask given the damage inflicted by inconsistent decisions made under the former Labor government. With that in mind, I have already undertaken successful trade missions to Japan and South Korea, as well as Singapore and India, and an interstate trade mission as recently as last week. I am determined to repair our international trade relationships after a decade of Labor mismanagement, and the Crisafulli LNP government is excited about the opportunities ahead for all Queenslanders.

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 865

My Japan and South Korea trade mission involved 25 meetings over five days where I was able to reinforce our strong trade relationships, bolstering Queensland’s vibrant trade and investment agreements, and shoring up Queensland jobs. The Singapore and India trade mission was an important opportunity to rebuild trust with our international partners and support our Queensland exporters and institutions in showcasing their wares to an eager international market, demonstrating world-class innovation in fields such as biopharmaceuticals, digital health, medical devices and advanced therapeutics. As I continue to showcase the Crisafulli LNP government’s efforts to repair international trade relationships, the overwhelming feedback I am receiving from our trade partners is that they are excited to hear that Queensland is open for business.

It is not just the international trade relationships we need to restore. Domestically, the Crisafulli LNP government is determined to ensure Queensland is front and centre for new business investment opportunities. During my recent trip to Melbourne, I had the opportunity to speak with several major companies that expressed interest in doing business in Queensland. Such investment would, of course, deliver significant local job opportunities. In my role as minister, I will continue to showcase Queensland as the best place to do business in this country.

Within the employment and training portfolio, I am working to ensure the sustainability of our vocational education and training sector, including ensuring we are delivering excellence within our training organisations. It is critical that our TAFE institutes are well resourced and delivering high-quality training programs that ensure future generations of Queenslanders are equipped with the tools they need to succeed in the workforce. It is also crucial to ensure that private providers feel supported and secure enough to invest in people and capital, something which was sorely lacking under the previous Labor government. It is also why the Crisafulli LNP government has announced initiatives like our micro-credentialing training, which will see approximately 3,000 participants across 813 enterprises benefit from $1.96 million in grants to 10 training projects delivered by the Crisafulli LNP government as part of its commitment to secure a pipeline of skilled workers. Initiatives such as these will work to ease the skill crisis left by the previous Labor government by maximising productivity and ensuring local workforces keep pace with industry requirements, addressing specific skills gaps not typically covered by traditional vocational education and training programs. I am excited to continue supporting innovative and fresh ideas to address the skills shortage in this state and, indeed, to clean up the mess left within the employment and training space by the previous Labor government.

Within the finance portfolio, alongside my colleague, the Treasurer, we are laser focused on restoring respect of the hard-earned money of every Queensland taxpayer. In stark contrast to the approach of Queensland Labor, this is a government that will be disciplined in its spending and a government that will treat taxpayers’ funds with the respect it deserves.

Who can forget the stunning revelations during the Mid-Year Fiscal and Economic Review that, thanks to the reckless fiscal decisions of those opposite, government debt was forecast to hit $218 billion by 2027-28? That is almost $40,000 for every man, woman and child in Queensland—the worst per capita debt burden on any state in the nation. It is truly horrifying to consider just how worse things could have become if Queenslanders did not vote for a fresh start at the recent election. Thankfully, Queenslanders saw through the desperate ploys of those opposite who were determined to save their jobs, no matter the cost. Indeed, Queenslanders will not soon forget the behaviour of those opposite during their time in government and, in particular, the behaviour with the government purse strings. The member for Murrumba and the member for Woodridge seemed determined to waste hard-earned taxpayer funds, spending like it was going out of fashion, including committing to various projects without allocating the requisite funding to actually deliver them.

Those opposite managed to leave a legacy of woeful economic mismanagement, budget black holes and blowouts—hardly an inspiring approach from Queensland Labor towards the state’s finances. As we work through the budget process, we have taken a calm and methodical approach with a focus on delivering on our promises to tackle Labor’s youth crime, health, housing, cost-of-living and crime crises. The Crisafulli LNP government understands the importance of fiscal discipline, of responsible government expenditure and the need to deliver projects on time and on budget—all concepts which seem to escape the members for Murrumba and Woodridge and their Labor caucus friends.

When it comes to services for Queensland, I am keenly working with colleagues and fellow shareholding ministers to enhance the performance of Queensland government-owned corporations. These corporations, like many companies across Queensland, need a skilled workforce to thrive and, as the Minister for Employment and Training, it is something I am working hard to address.

866 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

Above all else, we on this side of the House understand how eager Queenslanders are for real change. After a decade of crisis and chaos under Labor, Queenslanders want a fresh start.

Sitting suspended from 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm.

Debate, on motion of Dr Rowan, adjourned.

PRIVILEGE

Correction to Record of Proceedings Hon. DK FRECKLINGTON (Nanango—LNP) (Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and

Minister for Integrity) (7.30 pm): I rise on a matter of privilege suddenly arising. I would like to correct the record. In an answer at question time today, I inadvertently misspoke and said that Mr Sosso was deputy director-general of the premier’s department in the Goss government. During the Goss government he was, in fact, head of the legal and policy division of the department of justice and responsible for the instruction of the Electoral Act 1992 and the Criminal Justice Commission.

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY Resumed. Hon. LM LINARD (Nudgee—ALP) (7.31 pm): It is a great privilege to rise in this House once

again as the member for Nudgee. Securing the support of my community for a fourth term to represent them in this place is no less an honour than it was on the first day I walked in here in 2015. I am reminded as I stand here now, on an unfamiliar side of the chamber, of a reflection I have made previously—of the lesson I learned the first time I contested the seat of Nudgee in 2012, an election I lost. That lesson is one I always keep front of mind and it is: no-one owns these positions and no-one owns these seats—we are mere caretakers—and we must hold them lightly because our time in this place is limited. It is privileged but it is limited, and the Queensland community will always be the master of our time here.

With this reflection in mind, I congratulate all of the newly elected members across the political divide and welcome them to the House. It is a truly special place. I acknowledge the colleagues we have said goodbye to, who sought to continue to serve their communities but whose time here has come to an end. I wish to acknowledge their years of service to their electorates and their contributions to Queensland. I also acknowledge those who felt it was time to step aside and allow another to seek the privilege to serve their communities: Barry O’Rourke, Julieanne Gilbert, Curtis Pitt, Yvette D’Ath and Stirling Hinchliffe—all friends and all lucky to have served and chosen their time to leave. I say: goodbye and thank you for your service to your communities and our proud Labor values and tradition.

Second only to my own family are the electors of my beloved electorate, Nudgee. To them I say a sincere and heartfelt thank you for the trust they have instilled in me to continue to serve their interests in this place. With the exception of 14 years spent living in regional cities, I have lived and worked in the Nudgee electorate for most of my life. It is the place where I went to school and had my first job, where my husband, Ian, and I bought our first home and where my two beautiful boys are growing up and completing their schooling. It is a place that has given me much and to which I owe much.

Elections are always hard fought and won, but they also provide the opportunity to be on the ground each and every day, talking and listening to your community. The more than 90 hours spent at pre-poll was like a warm hug every day, catching up with locals—their families, their highs and lows, their concerns and their requests for the term ahead. Again I say: thank you, Nudgee—from Nundah, Northgate, Banyo, Nudgee and Nudgee Beach to Virginia, Boondall and parts of Wavell Heights, Geebung and Zillmere.

Of course none of us come to this place without the support and help of many others. Before thanking my team, I want to acknowledge my family. They are not here today because they are working, studying and playing sport, and they are doing all of those things, as they so often do, without me there cheering them on. I grew up in a Defence Force family so my father was often absent, but I always deeply respected his service and that of my mother as a volunteer in local community groups and outreach to those who were struggling most and the example it set to serve the community. My two young boys, JD and Ollie, are now also growing up with a similar experience and the inevitable

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 867

sacrifices it brings. I thank them and my wonderful husband, Ian, for their support to run again. It is a decision the four of us make together each term, and I deeply respect what they give up in supporting me to be here.

I turn from my family to my team. First among these, I thank my dear friend and mentor of more than 25 years, my campaign manager extraordinaire and former member for Nudgee, Neil Roberts. Anyone who knows Neil knows he was a true gentleman of this place for his 17 years of service in the chamber. Those closest to me also know that, with the early death of my parents, he, along with Jenny, has been a constant source of support, encouragement and advice to Ian and me and there for all the momentous occasions over the past 24 years—the purchase of our first home, the birth of both of our boys, my election to this place and a generous stand-in for grandparents day throughout my boys’ schooling so they were never the two kids alone. Neil tries to retire after each election so until 2028, Neil, you have earned your rest.

Around Neil was a tireless team of stalwarts of the labour movement, some of whom have been by my side since my first run 13 years ago. To my assistant campaign manager, Kes: in politics some things stay the same; others change continuously. Thank you for bringing a fresh approach to the campaign and for being my shadow for four weeks. Your future is bright and I am here to cheer you on, wherever your future may take you. To Reg and Emily: for your tireless coordination and organising the almost 300 volunteers who worked across the Nudgee campaign, thank you. To Jill: for the military operation that is a postal vote campaign, thank you. To Graham: the best high-visibility mobile and static sign site and pre-poll coordinator there is, thank you. To Scotty, Kim and Richard: thank you for the countless hours you spent at high-visibility sites, pre-poll and at strategy meetings, planning and lending advice.

To my electorate staff, Julie, Maddie, Tom and Jill: thank you for treating the constituents of Nudgee with the warmth and respect that they deserve, for your professionalism and for always keeping me connected to them when I cannot be at more places at once. To my other team, my ministerial team, who I will miss in the weeks, months and four years ahead: thank you for your service, for your friendship and for your dedication. You made every day better and easier for the intellect and humour you brought. I wish you all the very best as you forge a new path ahead.

I will always reflect fondly on what we delivered together. Chief among them as child safety and youth justice minister was to extend care in our child safety system to 21 so that no young Queenslander in our care starts adulthood alone; or the expansion of intensive case management in our youth justice system, providing genuine evidence-based intervention—the kind which experts in the field identify as the most effective approach to tackling the highly complex factors that contribute to youth offending and reoffending.

As minister for the environment it was to phase out commercial gillnets in the Great Barrier Reef to protect threatened species; introduce enhanced protections for Lake Eyre Basin, the last free-flowing desert river system of its size in the world; expand protected areas and nomination of protected areas of Cape York for World Heritage listing; and legislate emission reduction targets to meaningfully address climate change. All of these reforms were for future generations of Queenslanders—for the air we breathe, the land our produce comes from and the water we drink. We also launched Queensland’s first quantum strategy to ensure we are at the forefront of the quantum and deep tech revolution that has the capacity to solve some most of the most complex problems of our time.

I acknowledge the many outstanding public servants across my past portfolios of child safety, youth justice, multicultural affairs, environment, science and innovation who served the public interest so capably and professionally. Elections do not always afford the opportunity to say thank you or goodbye. I also acknowledge the former directors-general of both of those departments who made an extraordinary contribution but were so unceremoniously terminated by the new Crisafulli government. They gave much and they deserved much better.

The reforms I outlined earlier and the much needed cost-of-living measures we introduced at a time when people across our communities were struggling most, 50-cent fares chief among them, are just a few of the things that we delivered that mattered most to Queenslanders, certainly to people in my electorate. Just as I fought for them when in government, I will fight to protect them now in opposition. I thank my colleagues for entrusting the shadow portfolios of environment, science, innovation, climate change and youth to me, policy areas I am deeply passionate about.

868 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

I will always respect the will of the people that brought about a change of government. I congratulate the newly elected Premier Crisafulli, all newly appointed ministers and their wider government team. It is a special privilege to earn the trust of Queenslanders to lead our great state in government, but trust is also precious and must be treated as such. The responsibility of government is great as are the expectations. I say to all Queenslanders that we are listening to the message sent by Queenslanders and that we will keep listening. Our job is to fight every day to do what matters for Queensland and for all who call it home. I and my colleagues on this side of the chamber will be here to hold this government to the promises they have made to Queensland and to our communities, and it is to these promises I now turn.

The then opposition leader promised countless times to run an opposition that promised Queensland a different way, one of hope and positivity, a fresh start. It was a refrain he again promised during his election campaign. It was not true of the then opposition, it was not true of their election campaign and it is not true now of their early decisions in government. It is to the election campaign I now turn.

Every week of the campaign a new DL or letter in every letterbox attacking me personally was distributed in my electorate. I am sure many others received the same exact mail in their electorate with their face and their name. There are many in this House who have reflected on the campaign and how they felt we ran a campaign that lacked integrity and was negative, but there are no paragons of virtue on the opposite side of this chamber. Every single house in my electorate received mail every single week and then apparently Leanne Linard was singularly responsible for grocery prices and every other ill of the Queensland state. On polling day my face and name were supersized at every single polling booth—negative photos, negative slogans, negative claims. There was no policy, no plan and no vision, just slogans, negativity and baseless claims. That is what the LNP offered my community and my community were unmoved, totally unmoved.

While they were attacking me personally, I was in my community doing what I have always done: listening—listening to my community, being present, acting on their priorities and fighting to deliver the things that matter most to them, being genuinely positive and hopeful about our community, the future and what we can achieve with a real vision. In this election campaign I secured a number of commitments which were very important to my community which our Labor team said we would deliver. A commitment of $6 million to build a dedicated music studio at Virginia State School was chief among them—a school delivering an incredible music program which rightly earnt them the status of a music school of excellence.

Ms Grace interjected. Ms LINARD: All air-conditioned, that is absolutely right. I take that interjection. Over 100 parents

petitioned me to fight for an election commitment to deliver the project after, together, we successfully secured a detailed study on such a facility last term. I fought for that election commitment and I delivered on that promise. Our government committed to delivering the project if re-elected. The LNP did not match that commitment, so this will be an area of focus for me because that is what my community want of me.

I turn from music to Rugby League. During the campaign we committed $3 million for the historic and mighty North Devils Rugby League Football Club, which has been serving our local community for almost 100 years, to re-energise their spectator facilities. The LNP did not match that commitment, but my community wants to see it delivered and I will fight for that priority to be delivered. From Rugby to football, we committed to deliver $400,000 for the North Star Football Club in Zillmere for vital upgrades. The club is growing and so is their female participation. As a new generation of girls and young women have been inspired by our Matildas, the number of young women is growing. I commend North Star for wanting their local club to be a place where men and women feel equally welcome and safe to participate in an awesome game and one that I played myself throughout school. The LNP committed $100,000 during the campaign, which was very welcome but it will not get the job done. They will need every dollar of that $400,000 that we promised to deliver on that commitment. I also acknowledge that thanks to federal money we have seen delivered another commitment that we made, $350,000 to the Virginia United Football Club that saw their gravel driveway finally lifted to the level they deserve. I am grateful that the federal government delivered that.

My community called for these commitments, so I called for these commitments and I will always fight for what matters most to them. I have always fought when in government and now I will do so in opposition to deliver the things they care about most, whether it has been upgrades to all my schools, extending parking at every one of the 12 train stations in my electorate, upgrading the Gateway

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 869

Motorway North or making Sandgate Road safer—commitments Labor delivered when in government. I have always fought for my electorate and I always will. I do not forget where I come from and I do not forget who put me here and what I am fighting for. I believe that is why my community returned me as their member and I will not let them down because promises matter and trust is precious.

The new Premier also made a promise, to stop our Path to Treaty and truth-telling inquiry but to do so with decency and respect. I do not agree with the decision to stop the inquiry; I have made no secret of that. I believe deeply in the power of truth-telling to move our state forward. As the 13 faith leaders who came together and recently wrote to all 93 members of this House said— Truth-telling and listening are at the heart of a healed, reconciled community.

...

an understanding of Queensland’s shared story is essential for us to be a cohesive, respectful, and inclusive State.

If 13 faith leaders, many of different theological traditions and views, can come together with a unity of perspective and purpose on this issue, surely we all could have, too. Instead, in the first sitting week as their first order of business, the new LNP government scrapped the inquiry via a secret amendment, spirited away in an unrelated bill that was debated until midnight. There was no consultation with the inquiry chair, respected elders or even the knowledge of the media and, therefore, the Queensland public. History is not always comfortable but it should be known, and the faces of the roughly 60 young Indigenous leaders from across Queensland who were here for Youth Parliament as it happened will stay with me forever. Their grief was palpable and very difficult to reconcile with the Queensland I know and love and the hope I wish every young person holds for their future and our community. There was no decency or respect there.

The new Premier also vowed his cabinet would remain the same as the shadow cabinet and that his cabinet would reflect Queensland. It does not and I fail to see how only six women in cabinet truthfully reflects Queensland or how the way in which 10 directors-general were forced to sit at their desks and wait for confirmation of a job or a letter of termination and then marched out by security speaks of the respect the now Premier promised.

Mr Mander: Rubbish! Ms LINARD: I take that interjection. It is not rubbish because those directors-general are the ones

who told me how it happened, so don’t you dare say it is rubbish. You are calling— Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER (Dr O’Shea): Member for Nudgee, could you please address any

comments through the chair and not debate across the chamber. Ms LINARD: Promises matter and trust is precious and is already eroding. I and all members on

the opposition bench promise the people of Nudgee and all Queenslanders that we will fight each and every day for them and to hold the government to the promises they made including: governing with humility, decency, vision and tenacity; keeping 50-cent fares permanently; no change to women’s reproductive rights; no changes to coal royalty rates; no support for nuclear energy; no public sector job cuts, forced redundancies or asset sales; no change to voluntary assisted dying laws; managing the budget with lower taxes and lower debt but no cuts; reducing ambulance ramping to under 30 per cent; sacking any minister who does not meet their KPIs; and the Premier resigning if crime victim numbers are not lower. Promises matter and trust is precious and very easily eroded.

I want to conclude as I began, and that is to say what a great privilege it is to rise in this House as the member for Nudgee to serve a fourth term. Securing the support of my community for a fourth term to represent them in this place is no less an honour than it was on the first day I walked in here. I remain as energised today as I was on my first day to serve their interests, the interests of those who need us to speak up for them most and the interests of all Queenslanders in the term ahead, because it is truly a privilege.

Mr MOLHOEK (Southport—LNP) (7.50 pm): On 24 March 2012 I was first elected as the member for Southport—the engine room of the Gold Coast. It is a little known fact that Southport is home to almost 20 per cent of all employment in our city. I would like to begin by expressing my heartfelt gratitude to the people of Southport for once again placing their trust in me to represent them in this great chamber. Representing Southport is both humbling and an incredible privilege. I also want to acknowledge and thank my wife and family, my sons, my daughters-in-law, grandkids, nephews and nieces, my great-nephews and great-nieces, and my brother and sister, because each election has become a real family affair and something of a family reunion. I am grateful for all of them who came and helped, particularly on election day.

870 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

I also want to thank my local party branch, my SEC chair and campaign chair, Mark Sutton, and many volunteers like Andrea and Bevan Chivers; Roger Patterson; Doug and Sue Lipp; Bruce Vasey-Brown; Anita Whimpey; Jack Punshon; Kim Goldup-Graham, an old school friend, and her husband, Steve; Liisa Stanley; Allan Godbee; Allan and Kaye Hayes; Ian Harry; Arthur Lord; John and Katie Bond; Samantha Delmerge; Peter Doggett; Reg Williams; James Kennett; Geoff Smith; Steve Lutz and so many others for their support last November and repeatedly over multiple campaigns this past decade.

I also want to add a vote of thanks to my electorate office team and especially to Aaron Payne, who is, I think, one of the outstanding electorate officers in the state and who has supported me tirelessly over many years, but also thanks to Liam Ginn, Tara Douglas and Linda Maunder for their efforts and support since the election and over many years of service to the parliament and the people of Southport.

To the Premier, the Deputy Premier and my colleagues: thank you for your support, leadership and commitment.

As many members know, in early 2023 my life was turned upside down by a stroke. This health challenge was a moment in my life that brought immense uncertainty, yet it also revealed the support that I have in Southport and across the broader community. There were afternoons in hospital when I would come back from rehab and there would be five, six or seven people waiting to visit, and that happened every day for eight weeks, and so I am very grateful for that. I also want to thank the healthcare professionals from Gold Coast uni and Robina health services and my many friends and family members who supported me through that. I also particularly want to say thank you to the Hon. Heidi Victoria, who is the national chair of the Stroke Foundation, for her support and encouragement. It was great to have her and Dr Lisa Murphy here on Tuesday for the launch of Parliamentary Friends of Stroke.

I particularly want to pay tribute to all of the volunteers of the Southport SES during the recent cyclone and storm events that we have experienced on the Gold Coast, the emergency services personnel and volunteers, the Energex workers, the police and the health workers who have endured incredibly challenging circumstances to continue to look out for the safety and wellbeing of Gold Coasters. I also want to give a shout-out to Patrice Poutu and Edith and Mal Kennedy and volunteers at Set Free Care in Southport which provided shelter to more than 50 rough sleepers and chronically homeless people during those terrible weeks of torrential rain and storm activity.

While I was first elected a decade ago, that was not my first time in public service—I was elected to the Gold Coast city council in 2004—and over my 20-year tenure of public and community service I have worked to deliver many meaningful projects and policies for my community and Gold Coasters generally. I am proud to have delivered the redevelopment of the Broadwater Parklands, the aquatic centre, new boat ramps and improvements to the Gold Coast Spit, the raising of the Hinze Dam for flood mitigation and storage, stages 1 and 2 of Gold Coast Light Rail, the Coomera Indoor Sports Centre, the Gold Coast Hockey Centre and the aquatics centre for the Commonwealth Games and Skilled Park, which was an interesting negotiation. Many years ago as a radio station manager I was invited to the premier’s drinks here at parliament—it was the first time I had ever been at parliament— and I ended up in a conversation with the then treasurer, Terry Mackenroth, Shane Edwards and Wayne Bennett.

Ms Grace: That would’ve been enlightening. Mr MOLHOEK: Thank you for that interjection. It was an enlightening conversation, but I was

basically told that the Gold Coast was never going to secure an NRL team. The treasurer of the day ended the conversation by saying something to the effect of: ‘If you can convince the NRL to put a team on the coast, I’ll give you the money for a stadium, but I can say that because you’re never going to get the NRL to commit.’ Anyway, I hopped in the car that evening and on my way back to the Gold Coast I rang David Gallop and Michael Searle and said, ‘Well, we’ve got the team,’ and they said, ‘What do you mean?’ I said, ‘Well, the treasurer just said that if we got a licence he’d build a stadium and you’ve been saying if we can get a stadium we’ll have a team.’ It was shortly after that that Michael Searle, Paul Broughton and others met with the then premier and they were able to do a deal. That, thankfully, was the beginning of the Gold Coast Titans.

Other things I am proud to have delivered during my time and as a result of the Commonwealth Games are major road upgrades to Smith Street, Olsen Avenue, Ferry Road, High Street, Ross Street and Bundall Road—all major roads through my electorate and some of the major transport routes to the new Gold Coast University Hospital but nonetheless important links. They have carried us well over the last few years as the city has continued to grow.

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 871

On the subject of the Titans, a few weeks ago it was my pleasure to attend the season launch with the member for Mermaid Beach, Ray Stevens. It is a little known fact that Ray and I can probably take credit as being founding fathers of the Titans. Prior to the Titans, back in 1997 or 1998, Ray and I worked together in the fight to save the Gold Coast Chargers. The two of us and Geoff Smith, who is now the chair of Sports Gold Coast, worked together to put together a business plan to save the Chargers and then on the eve of being appointed to that board were unceremoniously dumped by David Barnhill from the New South Wales Rugby League. We never got to achieve that goal of saving the Chargers, but we fought on for another 10 years and today we have an outstanding team, who are going to absolutely thrash the Dolphins on Saturday afternoon at the Gold Coast. During the course of the launch I was a little embarrassed. I was chatting with the team captain, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, and I was recounting something of the history and the involvement of Ray, me and others in setting up the club so many years ago when Tino gently but politely remarked, ‘I wasn’t even born back then,’ and I could hear my boys saying, ‘Oh, Dad, you’re such a boomer.’

I am incredibly excited about the Olympics, as I was about the Commonwealth Games. When I was first elected we talked about what we needed to do in developing a strategy towards 2018 to get the most out of the games for Southport and the Gold Coast, and now here we stand tonight with a great plan to move ahead. I have to congratulate the Premier and Deputy Premier for the work they have done in recent weeks, as well as the minister for the games.

As we move towards 2032, I will be excited to see more development in my patch. Southport is the centre of the universe, in case members missed that. One of the games villages is proposed for Royal Pines just down the road from where I live. There is talk of a Gold Coast city arena, a proposal that the mayor has put up. There are still some challenges with that, but I certainly will be advocating and supporting that project with the mayor, whether it is in Carey Park or somewhere else in the city. All those things are yet to be worked out. That will be a great legacy for the Gold Coast.

I am also proud to have served with then deputy premier Jeff Seeney during the Commonwealth Games period. During that tenure we made decisions about scrapping some of the temporary facilities that were proposed for Southport and instead moved those facilities into a permanent sports centre in Coomera. I am sure the member for Coomera would agree that is a great legacy for his electorate, given the population and the many young people who need to be engaged in sport. We also expanded facilities at Carrara beyond what was originally planned. That sports centre is running at full tilt and is again another great legacy. They are good examples of what a legacy you can create through good planning. My sincere hope is that we will see an incredible legacy from the games.

While I am talking about the games, it was my great privilege back in the late nineties—and I am sounding like a boomer again—after being approached by the mayor Gary Baildon, to join what was the Queensland Olympic Team Fund, which was an official subcommittee of the Olympic Games here in the state. Our role was to raise money to support Queensland athletes. Over the period of about two years we managed to raise more than $2 million. That was an amazing time and ended up with us going to the opening ceremony in Sydney, which was one of those great evenings of one’s life.

The other achievement that holds special significance to me is the establishment of the Gold Coast Community Fund. That was established in 1999 as a spin-off from the Gold Coast Hospital Foundation. It has been great to see how Steve Cavallier and Rutland Smith from Harvey Norman, and so many others, have stepped into roles to raise millions of dollars for community support. Back then we had a very simple goal: to come together as a group of businesspeople and community leaders, use our collective influence and talent to raise money and then give it out to whoever we wanted to, for whatever reason, wherever we saw need. I am pleased to say that today the community fund continues to do that. They are doing a lot better job than we did. We managed to raise about $100 thousand a year back in those days, but in recent years they have been raising upwards of $1 million a year. It is fantastic to see that going back into the community.

This year we have set a new target for the Gold Coast CEO Sleepout. After seven years as an ambassador we have raised enough money for land in Nerang and this year they will start construction of 60 new apartments for families in need. This year we have raised the bar and Col Wheeler, one of my great friends, has suggested we set the target at $1 million. Ambassadors Jamie Preston, Belinda Dawes from the Gold Coast Bulletin, Karen Phillips, who is a well-known personality on the Gold Coast, and Tania Byrne from Celebrity Ink—a great advocate in the community—have all banded together and last night they had over 50 people at a function to sign people up for the challenge this year. Hopefully we will see a record number of participants as well.

872 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

While I am talking about the community, there are so many organisations that need our help and so many organisations that we as members are privileged to be a part of. I heard the member for Nudgee talking about some of her commitments. I have made commitments to both U3A and Gold Coast Community Legal Service that we would find some money to find them permanent homes. Both those organisations have been operating for many years out of substandard facilities with no ownership and no security of tenure. That is a challenge that I have taken up on their behalf and hope to fulfil this year.

I am also proud to say that I have just completed my 20th year of service with Bravehearts. I have spoken about them on many occasions in this chamber. Bravehearts have recently redefined their vision and it is simply this: a world where people, communities and systems all work together to protect children from sexual abuse. I think that is a great aspiration and I am sure it is one that everyone in the House would agree is something that we as members of parliament should also set as a goal as we seek to govern this state and provide support for those thousands of young people who tonight are not living in their own homes, who are out there as foster kids or in youth foyers or in residential care. We all need to do much better in that respect.

I will now turn to housing, which is another passion of mine along with child protection. It was many years ago that I convinced the member for Everton to establish a trial of a youth foyer in Logan, which was successful and resulted in a second youth foyer in Southport with 40 beds. It was delivered by the other government, but nonetheless is an important measure. I was so pleased when the previous government announced eight more youth foyers across the state and I am really excited that the housing minister has announced that there will be more. My view is that youth foyers are probably the most effective model of care and leave residential care for dead in terms of outcomes and, frankly, is a much more cost-effective model and one that I believe we should continue to pursue.

I am also a passionate advocate for Common Ground. While we did not start the project, we got to open the project in South Brisbane. The results from Common Ground and the work of Micah in South Brisbane have been absolutely outstanding. While so many other models of housing do not adequately address chronic homelessness and people with significant health issues, mental health issues, drug and alcohol issues and PTSD, Common Ground goes the extra mile and supports those people.

I think the last time I checked, the average length of tenancy at South Brisbane was seven years. It is not that anyone is in a hurry to push people out, but there is a trend that with proper care and support over time people are able to transition out of that environment. It is so important, not just because we want to take better care of people who are chronically homeless, but we need to be more considerate of other people who are in public and affordable housing. One of the things that has driven me in the push for Common Ground on the Gold Coast—and I will be up-front, my goal is to see Common Ground in every major population centre of Australia—is because I think it is the right thing to do. It is also good policy. It is good financial policy because it is much more cost effective than the alternative which is constantly dealing with people on the street.

We heard from the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union about two or three years ago now about the work of Common Ground in South Brisbane. They estimated that through the community nursing program they were saving the health system about $6½ million a year in mental health beds, police and ambulance officer time. I think it is good policy and it is the right thing to do. It saves lives; it saves money. It moves people out of public housing areas where other vulnerable people are afraid. I cannot tell you how many times I have had a little old lady or a family in public housing at Keebra Park or Lenneberg Street or somewhere else in my electorate call and say, ‘I’m scared. I’ve got this guy running around in the car park at three o’clock in the morning, naked and shouting at aliens’, or ‘There’s been people down the back doing drug deals behind the rubbish bins.’ I think we need to better manage those people with those higher needs. My sincere hope is that in this term of government we will do better in terms of more housing, because housing is such an important key to dealing with so many other social justice issues.

I have 18 schools in my electorate. Some of them are in need of sporting centres, gyms or performing arts centres. We made some commitments a few years back, but we have not won enough elections to do anything about them. I have a big shopping list, Treasurer and Minister for Education, and I will be pushing to fulfil those commitments.

In closing I want to say thank you to everyone. Thank you to the Southport community. To David and my LNP colleagues in the chamber, thank you for working hard to secure this term in parliament. Thank you also to the Premier for appointing me as chair of the Health, Environment and Innovation Committee.

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 873

Ms McMILLAN (Mansfield—ALP) (8.10 pm): Firstly, I acknowledge the member for Southport. I know that other members on this side of the House also acknowledge the journey the member for Southport has been on. My good friend and neighbour the member for Springwood just acknowledged what a statesman the member for Southport is. Certainly we enjoy working with you, Rob. We acknowledge your journey and we wish you well on your road to wellness.

I extend a very warm congratulations to the Speaker of the House. I am confident that he will preside over the deliberations in this chamber with respect for the time-honoured conventions that have served this parliament so well in the past.

I rise today deeply humbled and honoured to continue to serve as the member for Mansfield in the 58th Parliament of Queensland. I acknowledge the First Nations peoples of Queensland, the traditional custodians of this land, and I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging— the wonderful young leaders of tomorrow. I acknowledge the injustices that First Nations peoples have suffered for more than 235 years of colonisation and the multigenerational trauma and disadvantage that has tormented Indigenous peoples throughout this time.

I personally wanted to hear their stories. I wanted to hear the true history of Queensland. I was never taught that. I wanted to hear the truth, for it is their enduring culture, wisdom and resilience that inspires me to build a future grounded in respect, equity and opportunity for all. I acknowledge sister Leeanne Enoch, the member for Algester and a proud Quandamooka woman, who will continue to guide me and this team as we strive for a better future for First Nations peoples—especially for our beautiful First Nations children, as the future is theirs. For many years, in fact more than 20 years, I served and worked with some of our First Nations children, and I am more than honoured and proud to have spent just a moment with them in their lives.

I congratulate all new members of this House, particularly my parliamentary Labor colleagues the member for Sandgate, the member for South Brisbane—Deputy Speaker O’Shea, congratulations on your success—the member for Ipswich West, which is my home of birth and a seat that is rightfully Labor’s. It is a seat that was settled by migrant families such as my late grandmother’s Irish family and my late grandfather’s Scottish family. He was a railway worker. They both sacrificed much to send their children to local Catholic schools. They knew that they could make no greater investment than in a good quality education for their children.

Being re-elected for a third term is an extraordinary privilege and a profound responsibility. Mansfield is a vibrant, diverse and compassionate community. It is one that I am proud to call my home. Over the past eight years I have been committed to representing every constituent with integrity, passion and purpose. This election result reflects the trust that our community places in my leadership, our shared values and our vision for a thriving future.

This victory belongs not only to me but also to the many volunteers, supporters and community members who stood by me throughout the campaign. Together we knocked on more than 25,000 doors and made over 12,000 phone calls. Those personal conversations highlighted to me the aspirations, concerns and hopes of our community. It is those voices that drive me to work tirelessly every day for every family, every child, every business and every individual in the Mansfield electorate. It is those values that drove me as a school leader and a teacher. It is those values that taught me so much about servant leadership.

As a former school principal and educator for over 25 years, I understand the importance of supporting and creating opportunities for young people and their families. A well-paying and secure job, a quality education, access to health care, safe housing and an inclusive community are the cornerstones of a prosperous society. Those values have shaped my approach to public service and my commitment to building a community where every young person and their family can thrive.

Labor’s policies and investments have laid the foundation for a stronger Mansfield electorate. Under Labor, families in the Mansfield electorate have benefited from the most comprehensive cost-of-living relief package in the nation. It has provided tangible financial relief to households in my community. As many members know, the Mansfield electorate is not necessarily underprivileged. It is a community of great privilege. It is a community where many families work, which is in stark contrast to many of the communities that I led as a school leader. Even though Mansfield is a community where most people work—in fact, our unemployment rate is about 1.7 per cent—the $1,000 off electricity bills directly reduced household expenses, allowing families to allocate savings towards other priorities such as education, health and daily living costs. Education is the priority, the only priority in many cases, for most families.

874 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

The introduction of 50-cent public transport fares is another important support for families of the Mansfield electorate. Mansfield is a diverse electorate with many residents commuting to work or school in Brisbane’s CBD. For families, students and workers who rely on public transport, this initiative provided much needed financial relief. The policy was a clear example of how the government responded to the needs of local communities such as mine, making public transport affordable and accessible for everyone. The 20 per cent discount on vehicle registration also provided additional savings for the people of my community.

For young families, free kindergarten has made early education accessible. Communities such as mine believe that early education is a right. This is about giving children the best possible start in life while easing financial pressure on parents. Early childhood education plays a critical role in cognitive development and in the development of the whole child. The removal of fees meant that every child in my community could access quality learning from a very early age.

One of the most impactful initiatives has been free TAFE, which has opened doors for young people and adults to gain skills. Many of the young adults in my community are from other countries and this was just the assistance they needed. It provides an opportunity to upskill and to enter high-demand industries without the burden of tuition fees. This policy empowered individuals to pursue meaningful careers and support their families right across the community. In Mansfield, education is highly valued. This initiative has resonated deeply and I thank the Mount Gravatt TAFE staff for all that they do.

Every Queenslander deserves a safe place to call home. Labor’s $3 billion housing plan has delivered over 900 completed social and affordable homes, some of which are in my community, and more than 1,100 are under construction. By banning rent bidding and increasing first home buyer grants, we have created fairer opportunities for locals to secure housing, ensuring stability and dignity for all. For young families in Mansfield, these policies mean less financial stress and more opportunities to build a secure future.

Labor’s commitment to sustainability would have created new opportunities for the Queensland community. Our clean energy plan, projected to create 145,000 jobs by 2050, would have positioned Queensland as a leader in renewable energy. I acknowledge my good friend and neighbour the member for Springwood for his leadership in that project and that initiative. Solar powered schools and sustainable infrastructure in Mansfield demonstrate how we can embrace innovation whilst reducing costs and protecting our environment.

As a former educator, I know firsthand that a quality education transforms lives. That is why I have worked hard to secure significant investments in our local schools. I have 19 schools in my electorate and I am very proud to have the only Jewish school in Queensland, located at Burbank. I acknowledge the tough times that that community has experienced in the last couple of years.

I have worked hard to secure significant investments in our local schools to ensure every child in Mansfield has access to quality resources, facilities and opportunities to succeed. Let me tell the LNP what truly understanding community looks like: over $200 million for Mansfield State High to deliver new buildings, refurbishments, upgrades, a new drop-and-go area, a new canteen, a new uniform shop and outdoor shaded areas; $1.85 million for Mansfield State School to build a new learning centre, creating modern spaces where students can thrive; $16.2 million for a multipurpose hall and an additional $3.8 million for upgrades at Rochedale State High School—again, delivered in partnership with my good friend the member for Springwood—providing state-of-the-art facilities for academic and extracurricular activities; a new student administration building and additional classrooms at Rochedale State School to support its growing population; $12.2 million for a new learning centre and $3.2 million for a new canteen at Wishart State School, ensuring students have access to modern facilities that meet their educational and practical needs; $4 million for new learning spaces at Mackenzie State Special School, enhancing the educational experience for students with disabilities and providing tailored support for their unique needs; and over $1.8 million for Mount Gravatt East State School to deliver a new car park and upgrades to existing car parks, improving safety and accessibility for students and families as the school is located on two very busy roads.

These investments reflect my unwavering belief that a quality education is the key to unlocking potential. Education is not just about infrastructure, as we know; it is about ensuring that every child feels supported and valued. That is why I also champion initiatives like the installation of air conditioning in every classroom, powered by solar panels, to create comfortable and sustainable learning environments. These improvements benefit not only students but also teachers and staff, fostering an atmosphere where everyone can excel.

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 875

I am proud to lead an electorate that values and prioritises education. I will continue advocating for policies that support our schools, our students and their families. These investments are not just for today. They are not just for the students who are at school, as we speak. They are for the future of the Mansfield electorate and for the future of Queensland, ensuring that every child has the tools and opportunities that they need to thrive.

Health care has been another cornerstone of our efforts. The opening of the Eight Mile Plains satellite hospital has brought free health care closer to home, transforming how families in Mansfield access essential care. This facility is open seven days a week from 8 am to 10 pm, which ensures no-one needs to travel long distances for non-emergency medical services and leaves the emergency departments for emergencies. Whether it is for routine check-ups, minor treatments or preventive care, families can now receive the attention they need in a convenient, supportive environment. Signature investments in the Princess Alexandra and QEII hospitals have expanded capacity, ensuring timely care for Mansfield residents. The recently opened Mount Gravatt nurse-led clinic is already providing tailored support to locals, reinforcing our focus on accessible and compassionate care.

By bringing free healthcare services closer to home, parents no longer have to balance the demands of long commutes with the urgency of healthcare needs, allowing them to focus more on their work and family life. Children benefit from quick, more consistent care that supports their development and overall wellbeing. Access to free health care closer to home reduces financial strain, minimises travel related stress and fosters a greater sense of security and support where every family has the resources they need to lead healthy, fulfilling lives.

Good policies, such as the 50-cent public transport fares, are most effective when supported by strong infrastructure. That is why I, along with the member for Springwood, fought hard for the critical infrastructure of the brand new Rochedale bus station and park-and-ride. Whilst completed, the LNP still have padlocks on the gates. When opened, this facility will address the growing transport needs of our communities and will ensure everyone can take full advantage of the affordable fares.

An opposition member: The locals just deserve to have it open. Ms McMILLAN: I will take that interjection—our locals do deserve to have it opened. The Eight

Mile Plains park-and-ride is overcrowded, and we are well and truly ready for the new park-and-ride to be opened. It will house 485 vehicles and includes nine accessible parking spaces. It has 44 solar panels, making it energy efficient, and storage for 30 bicycles—we have great connectivity based on the $42 million Veloway that Labor built some years ago. It also includes modern amenities, such as CCTV and lighting throughout the car park and bus station, ensuring safety and security for all users, especially for our female commuters.

The vital infrastructure project is part of the $750 million Pacific Motorway Eight Mile Plains to Daisy Hill upgrade, which has created up to 721 jobs, supporting our local community. I note that the LNP recently stalled the M1 extension project. Again, I urge the LNP to get on with the job and complete that project. This investment strengthens the connections between our suburbs and the broader community, enhancing the quality of life for everyone in my community of Mansfield.

These investments in education, health care and infrastructure directly benefit the young members of our community and their families. A child who is healthy, educated and supported is more likely to succeed, contribute and thrive. By prioritising health care, education and support services, we are building a brighter future for the Mansfield electorate, ensuring that every family has the resources and opportunities to prosper.

One of my proudest achievements this term was reconnecting Queensland with direct flights to China. This initiative was not just logistical; it was deeply personal for many families in my community who have been separated from loved ones for over three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many in my community commute to China for their working week and return home to their loved ones on weekends. The direct flights from Brisbane to Shanghai were absolutely imperative.

As the shadow minister for child safety, communities and the prevention of domestic and family violence, I am determined to continue building on Labor’s legacy. My background has shaped my understanding of the challenges faced by our most vulnerable children and their families. I have witnessed how trauma, instability and family violence can impact a child’s ability to thrive. I have also seen the transformative power of well-resourced communities and supported families. In this role, I will work tirelessly to champion early intervention programs, strengthen crisis support systems and ensure victims of domestic and family violence have access to safety and justice. Every child deserves stability. Every family deserves dignity. The future of Queensland depends on how we care for those in need, and I will not waver in my commitment to this cause.

876 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

Before I close, I want to take a moment to acknowledge those people who have made this journey so meaningful. To all those who voted Labor, who continue to vote Labor and who have voted Labor for the first time: I will continue to support you, I will continue to serve you and I will ensure that you are well supported every day. For those of you who did not vote Labor: I am certainly here for you too, and it is a great honour to represent our community and to support you as well.

I acknowledge our great Labor team. I acknowledge our leader, Steven Miles, and the work of our unions—Together, TWU, QTU and AWU. Thank you for your hard to work to ensure Labor remains in safe hands in Mansfield.

Hon. FS SIMPSON (Maroochydore—LNP) (Minister for Women and Women’s Economic Security, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Minister for Multiculturalism) (8.30 pm): It is an honour to speak in the address-in-reply. Mr Speaker, I acknowledge you in the chair as the Speaker of this parliament. Having experienced that role myself, I know it is a very special role. I thank you for your leadership in presiding over our parliamentary democracy in Queensland.

It is an honour to represent the seat of Maroochydore. I am so blessed to be a Sunshine Coast member and to represent an absolutely beautiful area. It is with great thanks to Premier David Crisafulli and my Sunshine Coast colleague Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie that under their leadership we were able to go to the last election with such a strong platform and to, fortunately, receive the vote of trust of the people of Queensland. After the election, I was truly honoured to be appointed to the ministry in the first Crisafulli LNP government.

My first honour is representing my electorate. That is where I will start my contribution this evening. I am truly fortunate to represent such a beautiful area. To have the opportunity to see our election commitments come to fruition is an absolute thrill. There is no doubt that areas like the Sunshine Coast, where there has been tremendous growth and pressures upon the community, have been starved of infrastructure and services under many Labor governments. We have had to fight hard for everything we have received. We have not seen good government under Labor, with them blocking and cutting many infrastructure projects that had been through assessments for federal and state funding, extensive business cases and ticked off as not only worthwhile but also necessary. One of those was the Mooloolah River Interchange. The federal Labor government cut it and the previous state Labor government failed to fight for it and removed any timelines for it to be delivered.

I was pleased that as part of the 2032 Delivery Plan that the Crisafulli government released last week—the green and gold runway—we have a commitment to build the Mooloolah River Interchange as part of a package of necessary infrastructure that Labor cut. We also saw a situation where Labor only promised to take rail to Caloundra and left a gap. They had a car park at Caloundra and nothing else—not even a fast bus from Caloundra to the future athletes village in Maroochydore. My word, how were they going to get the athletes to all of the venues? How was Labor going to get members of the public to venues when their solution was a car park at Caloundra? There was no mass transit solution and no continuation of rail. With the 2032 Delivery Plan released by the Crisafulli government last week, we now have a commitment to deliver a mass transit system—not a bus.

Government members interjected. Ms SIMPSON: That is the old furphies. All Labor gave us was a car park and no connecting

infrastructure from Caloundra to the athletes village and all of the other venues. Under the Crisafulli government we will have the Wave and the Metro as part of the mass transit system. The CAMCOS corridor is where the Mooloolah River Interchange will be built.

What was Labor’s answer? It was to whinge and whine and offer no solutions. After 1,000 days of wasting time on getting cracking and building legacy infrastructure that will service not only my area of the Sunshine Coast but also all of Queensland, we are now seeing a government that is committed to a fresh start, getting on with it and making it happen. It is great news that the congesting-busting infrastructure of the Mooloolah River Interchange that Labor cut will now be built. It will benefit the Sunshine Coast. There are other pieces of infrastructure that are part of that project.

I will talk now about some of the commitments we took to the election and which we will be delivering—commitments such as a protection package for Mudjimba Island. There will be moorings around the island to keep the coral safe. Schools in the area will be delivering marine education and there will be the opportunity for young people not only to go out on the reef but also to read remotely in their classrooms the monitors that will be installed around the island. Those students on the Sunshine

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 877

Coast and beyond who have a passion for preserving and conserving our beautiful natural environment will have access to real-time data and all that comes with these sensing buoys around the island. They will be able to go around the island. We will be able to preserve this beautiful area for the future.

Maroochydore Rugby Union Club—like so many of our community clubs throughout Queensland—needs infrastructure. The Minister for Sport has talked about the programs that we are rolling out throughout Queensland for community-based sporting groups. I am thrilled that we are able to get on with the business of getting lights on the fields for Maroochydore Rugby Union Club. They have lights but they are rusty and in danger of failing. That is one of the practical examples of what is necessary for grassroots sport. It is not just about elite sports. The runway towards the Olympic and Paralympic Games gives us great economic opportunities to invest in frontline activities. Whatever level of sport our young people and older people play, we can deliver the local facilities.

One of the things I am particularly pleased about with the change of government is housing. Queensland should never have had the situation where we have the level of homelessness that we have now. Once upon a time in this brave and proud state it would be a case of boasting about the number of cranes that were involved in delivering housing and other infrastructure. There was a new index—not a crane index—in the last few years. It was the tent index. We saw in this state the shame of people who are homeless or living rough because of the failure of 10 years of state Labor inactivity. There were barriers to the timely delivery of housing.

Certainly, there was a failure in the 10 years of Labor with regard to social housing. The broader market of private investors such as mums and dads and others who aspired to own their own homes found that the lack of the timely release of land with accompanying infrastructure and a failure of the Labor government to listen to their concerns meant that the pipeline of housing was broken.

This government plans to unleash and unlock activity to deliver housing in our community, and this is so desperately needed. This in itself is one of the most significant areas that we champion, and we will continue to fight to ensure that that pipeline of access to housing is restored. We should no longer have this terrible situation of a record number of people living rough and living in tents or in circumstances of vulnerability.

There are many other issues I could talk to in my electorate, but I am going to turn my attention now to some of the issues with respect to my portfolio. I was so thrilled when the Premier contacted me and said, ‘I want you to take on this role as the Minister for Women and Women’s Economic Security, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Minister for Multiculturalism.’ It is probably easier if I just say ‘minister for people’ because there are a lot of people in this role—but what a great portfolio.

The charter letter obviously set out our election commitments that we were to deliver but also broader areas such as working with my colleagues in the ministry and in all of government to ensure that we deliver a better future across these portfolios for all of Queensland. Why does it matter? It matters because Queenslanders have a right to be safe wherever they live, to have health services when they need them, to have a government that respects their money and to have a place to call home. They have a right to have a government that will not rest and will do everything to ensure that Queenslanders are respected, and that they have what they need to thrive and live their lives, where self-determination is able to be fulfilled.

With regard to the portfolio of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, as one very brave Aboriginal leader in her community said to me, ‘There is not a gap; there is a hole when it comes to our rural and remote community in so many areas.’ They had a situation where their water supply was on the brink of falling over and they have other critical areas of need. We see the gap in life expectancy figures between non-Indigenous and Indigenous Queenslanders, but in some of these remote areas the gap is even more stark because the Closing the Gap statistics, which are extrapolated out of ABS data, do not actually drill down to local communities. The disadvantage and vulnerability are far more significant in some of the most remote communities. That is why leaders have said to me, ‘There is not a gap; there is a hole.’

We need to ensure that the most vulnerable in the most remote communities have their voices heard. That is why we have committed to direct funding in those critical areas to frontline tangible services to close the gap or, in this case, a significant hole such as an infrastructure gap in water supply. Only a few weeks ago Aurukun ran out of water on a weekend. It was not because of a cyclone; it was because their water treatment facilities had fallen over. Many others are just as vulnerable, but under the previous Labor government they could not get any funding to fix that. We are funding Aurukun’s water upgrade. We are funding Kowanyama’s upgrade. I know that, in partnership with these

878 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

communities, there will be other services which we will go into bat for to find a way to get them fixed because these issues have been allowed to languish for so long. With $108 million available under the Closing the Gap Priorities Fund, which we have announced, that is what we are going to target—some of those fundamental frontline services.

There are some other tragic gaps that I also need to address. Law and order is one—the record number of victims created by Labor’s youth crime crisis and the crime crisis in general. In the justice system we respect that there are certain legal protections to ensure people get a fair trial. However, Labor had lost their way in ensuring victims also had their rights respected. They were the ones paying the price for Labor’s inaction—the tragedy of having a record number of victims. In this regard I want to give some statistics to the parliament which I do not think we should ever forget.

Yes, there is an over-representation of our First Peoples in the justice system. There is also a shocking over-representation of our First Peoples being victims. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are 3.5 times more likely to be victims of sexual assault compared to non-Indigenous Australians. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls are 2.5 times more likely to be victims of rape than non-Indigenous women and girls. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and boys are 4.5 times more likely to be victims of rape than non-Indigenous men and boys. Those statistics are incredibly shocking. Because the impact of these crimes upon our First Peoples and their level of pain is so great, I wonder why this has not been talked about enough in this House. We must not only share these stories but understand them. Sometimes victims are not able to express these stories themselves because of their pain.

When the government is putting tangible focus on frontline infrastructure and services, the government must do better to ensure that all Queenslanders are safe and have a right to feel safe— wherever they live, whoever they are, whatever their background is. These figures are shocking. That is why we must break the cycle of crime that is having such a devastating impact on victims.

I also want to address another portfolio area of mine with regard to women—women’s economic security. I am delighted that we are going to be releasing, when we go to public consultation, a women’s economic security strategy, which is focused on how we ensure that we have practical measures to address some of the barriers to full participation in the economy and in our community. I wish the gap was not so wide, but there is still a substantial gap for many women in regard to their financial security. That is a critical area in which we must work together to ensure that there are practical ways to overcome those continuing areas of disadvantage.

There are women who are already doing great things. There are female founders and women with substantial gifts who are impacting their communities. It is not only about engaging with vulnerable women to assist them to get out of their vulnerable situation but also about a magnification and a multiplication of opportunities for those women who can make such an impact in our community.

There are some amazing stories of female founders of businesses, but this is also about assisting women in whatever area they are serving in. I am looking at the honourable member for Redcliffe, who is a female founder of a great business. I acknowledge her role in the business that she has created. There are other female founders in this wonderful team of LNP members. We have quite a few small business owners and founders. We need to ensure that we are working with and understanding our small and family businesses in particular and other businesses so that we can help leverage and unlock the opportunity for them to do well. All of those areas matter.

I want to talk about multiculturalism, because it is so important that we work together with people—with all of their diversity and the wonderful rich tapestry of their heritage—to ensure they have the opportunity to overcome the social barriers to full participation in the economy and in our community.

So many people have proud stories of how they came to this country in order to nurture their families. They believed in a better future and often created or invested in small businesses that were very much part of their communities. The best and most wonderful thing about our democratic system is that we believe in the freedom of religion and beliefs. Whatever people’s background, they have a right to their beliefs. I want to acknowledge the education minister’s comments about the unacceptable anti-Semitism at the recent Music Awards. Freedom of speech is not the freedom to undermine people’s safety. We uphold freedom of speech, but it is balanced by the fact that people have to have safety wherever they live. We must ensure that, whatever people’s backgrounds, they have the right to be safe and to feel safe. That is something we are critically committed to and will continue to advocate for.

(Time expired)

3 Apr 2025 Address-in-Reply 879

Hon. GJ BUTCHER (Gladstone—ALP) (8.50 pm): I would like to start by thanking the amazing people of the Gladstone region for their support for me as their local member in my fourth term. It is with great pride that I continue to have the opportunity to deliver the things that matter for the Gladstone community. I am really passionate about Gladstone. Representing it is an honour and privilege that I do not take for granted. I take this opportunity to thank all of my amazing staff and volunteers for not only supporting me during the campaign but also manning our two pre-polls. I know that most people in this chamber appreciate the support of our volunteers, particularly in Gladstone in the blistering sun for two full weeks straight. I know that the Electoral Commission has very little regard for honest people who are just trying to help their candidates, and that is on all sides of politics. I would like to see them find more suitable locations not only for our volunteers but also for the voting public—particularly people with disabilities, who often find it difficult to access parking and even bathrooms.

My volunteers are absolutely amazing people and they always come through to get a good result for Labor in Gladstone. I give a big shout-out to my old man, Nev—if you are watching tonight, Nev. He rode the highs and lows of the election with me, putting up corflutes every single day and, unfortunately, having to replace them multiple times in one day. We saw a fair bit of that going on during this election, which was not ideal.

To my campaign manager and most loyal political supporter and comrade, Shelly Holzheimer: thank you for your ongoing support through my campaigns. The work you do for me is tremendous. Of course, I thank my family and my friends for their massive support and backing during those five election campaigns. To my amazing wife, Theresa: thank you for putting up with me and my political career— the travel, the times away during significant events on our family calendar, the quick turnaround of clothes on a weekend, out of one suitcase and into another; it means the world to me. I really appreciate your support. To my children, Taylor and Blake, and their partners: thank you for the support you give me and my two beautiful little granddaughters, who make it worthwhile to come home after a week of parliament.

During my time as the member for Gladstone I have been proud of what has been delivered for the region by the previous Labor government. I will start by talking about our investment in health, including building an accident and emergency centre and the step-up step-down mental health facility in Gladstone as well as purchasing the old Mater Hospital, which will now see maternity services being delivered there. Every woman who gives birth in the Gladstone region in a public hospital will have their own private room—

Mr Head: You were pretty quiet about that for a long time. Mr BUTCHER: Give it a rest, mate. This is my address-in-reply. Show some respect, you clown. Mr SPEAKER: Member for Callide, you will get your chance in your address-in-reply. Mr BUTCHER: There is also a paediatric ward for our vulnerable kids and the construction of a

new nurse-led clinic, a vital service for Gladstone to help alleviate the numbers and presentations in accident and emergency. I will continue to ask that those hours be brought back to 8 am to 10 pm, seven days a week.

Mr Head: They were never there. Mr BUTCHER: Excuse me, mate. Shut your mouth. I am trying to do my address-in-reply. Mr SPEAKER: Member for Gladstone, I will look after the House. I ask you to withdraw that

unparliamentary language. Mr BUTCHER: I withdraw. Mr SPEAKER: Member for Callide, that is it. I do not want to hear another interjection. Mr BUTCHER: Unfortunately, the Crisafulli LNP government has already slashed the hours of

service for this much needed clinic. In an industrial city, people deserve to receive care after hours and not in an accident and emergency department. I implore the government to reinstate those operational hours to seven days a week.

I also call on this government to continue with the work on the master plan for the Gladstone Hospital. I know that we must bring the service levels up in the Gladstone Hospital, and finalising the master plan is a crucial step in this process. The Labor government worked hard to increase the footprint of the Gladstone Hospital, as I said, building a new accident and emergency and purchasing the old Mater. This has now allowed for the relocation of services, which is essential for upgrades to other wards and additional services to come online. The work must continue under this new government. The people of Gladstone deserve high-quality health care that is closer to home, and I will work tirelessly to

880 Address-in-Reply 3 Apr 2025

see that happen. We have the most amazing staff at our Gladstone Hospital, and I wish to use this speech to thank each and every one of them from the bottom of my heart for the tireless efforts they put in to ensure the people of our community get the best care they possibly can.

Another proud achievement is our investment in education, which has been second to none in Gladstone. Every one of the 15 state schools in my electorate has had either new classrooms, upgraded canteens, new halls or funding for vital infrastructure. I look forward to the completion of the two major school infrastructure projects this year: the industrial tech building at the Gladstone State High School and the performing arts centre at Toolooa High School. These fantastic upgrades at our large high schools in Gladstone will see the creative minds of our kids in Gladstone come to the fore. I am sure the students and teachers who will get to use these new buildings will be thrilled when they are opened up this year. These projects not only provide world-class facilities for our kids to learn; they also create opportunities for the workers of the future for Gladstone. It has always been about delivering on the things that matter most to our community.

I have spoken in this House many times about the benefits of the Gladstone State Development Area for large-scale industrial development. It is a real treasure to have state controlled land on the doorstep of a deepwater port. The Gladstone port is a government owned income-generating asset, and it is only the Labor government that has seen its value and invested where it mattered. Every time I speak, I remind this House about the great asset in the Gladstone port that the LNP planned to sell off to the highest bidder. The port is the central point of our community, and the importance of it remaining under state control cannot be underestimated.

We have invested in many projects that support the growth of the state development area, including the Clinton Industrial Estate, port terminal upgrades, the Acciona Solar Farm and the almost $1 billion pipeline from Fitzroy to Gladstone. The Fitzroy to Gladstone pipeline is delivering good, local jobs in regional Queensland. This means that Gladstone will be able to access water allocation from Rookwood Weir, another legacy project delivered by a Labor government. This is about supporting those new, emerging sectors. As the minister for water at the time, I was most pleased to open Rookwood Weir.

Gladstone is the industrial powerhouse of this great state of Queensland. We are best positioned to capitalise on a renewable future, but we need a government with a clear energy plan and a commitment that can ensure investor confidence, particularly in the Gladstone region—something we have already seen to be sadly lacking from the LNP Crisafulli government. The Labor government introduced blueprints for success like the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, the designated Central Queensland Energy Zone, the Hydrogen Industrial Strategy and the Queensland manufacturing road map, including the establishment of a manufacturing hub in Gladstone.

These plans have helped drive investment. They are delivering hydrogen, renewable and manufacturing jobs in Gladstone and right across the region. While the LNP gets bogged down in nuclear noise and arguments about whether climate change is real, our Labor government was getting on with the job. I back coal, and I have always said that—the coal industry built my community—but we also need to look to the future. Nowhere is this more important than in my community, where so many people are employed in large-scale, traditional energy intensive industries that are looking to decarbonise. We have seen major investment in Gladstone’s renewable network, including in the Central Queensland hydrogen hub, Sumitomo green energy hydrogen production and the Rio Tinto decarbonisation project.

Speaking of community infrastructure, how good is Works for Queensland, which we introduced into Queensland? It is a fantastic project introduced by us. The most well-respected council funding program in decades has delivered so much across Queensland and in my electorate—projects like Bray Park Skate Park and Pump Track, Lions Park, upgrades to the town pool and south pool, and so much more.

I could talk all night about the amazing programs that have been delivered to date that have assisted people in my electorate, like grants programs and ready-to-work programs introduced and backed in by Labor here in Queensland. Alas, I will simply finish with a few final thoughts. The job is not done. There is more to be delivered across my great community. My priority for the next four years will be to hold this LNP government to account. They promised Queenslanders the world and they need to deliver that for my community.

Debate, on motion of Mr Butcher, adjourned.

3 Apr 2025 Adjournment 881

ADJOURNMENT Dr ROWAN (Moggill—LNP) (Leader of the House) (9.01 pm): I move—

That the House do now adjourn.

Parkinson’s Disease, Really Big Walk Mr J KELLY (Greenslopes—ALP) (9.01 pm): Next Friday, 11 April is World Parkinson’s Day, and

this Sunday, 6 April I will once again be doing a really big walk for Parkinson’s Queensland. My brother and I have done those walks over the last four years. What has made them really big is the big, long distances we have walked. I think we have walked so far that they have accidentally broken my brother so he will not be joining me this year. He is doing big swims instead because he cannot walk long distances anymore. What we are hoping will make this weekend’s walk really big is lots of people coming to join us. The offer and invitation is there for all members of this House to join us in the Botanic Gardens to do that walk. I know that the member for Aspley is coming and I thank him for that support.

Parkinson’s disease is one of the most common progressive neurological conditions. It is a devastating disease for those people who live with it and it is certainly one where we need to do a lot more research to try to find not just a cure but also ways to manage the symptoms that occur with it. It is a disease that I ran across a lot as a nurse. I have to say that when you get people in hospital with Parkinson’s disease they do not tend to be in hospital for very long so you do not really get to see what that person was like before, during and after the progression of the disease.

Unfortunately, both of my parents lived with Parkinson’s disease and then died of complications of Parkinson’s disease so I had firsthand experience of seeing and being with people who lived through that very difficult time. There were two things that really stood out for me with my father and my mother. My father was a man who loved to sing, he was a great harmonica player and he was a damn fine whistler. To watch him lose that ability to sing and to whistle—which was something that brought so much joy to not just himself but also everybody around him—was really challenging and difficult. My mum was someone who was always giving to the community. It did not matter if it was Meals on Wheels, St Vincent de Paul or volunteering at the bowls club; she was there for the community. To see her lose that engagement with the community as the disease progressed was very difficult for her and for our entire family to go through.

Every year we do this walk. We try to raise money because we know the solution going forward is to do more research and to get better services for those people who have to live with Parkinson’s. I want to say to all those people who live with Parkinson’s and their families that there is hope. We are doing research and we are improving services. There are lots of people in your corner; there are lots of people trying to help you. I would encourage all members, if they are interested, to get in touch with their local Parkinson’s support group. Reach out; they would love your support.

Callide Electorate Mr HEAD (Callide—LNP) (9.04 pm): The electorate of Callide is vast, but it holds a lot of fantastic

events that people can attend. This year alone I have already been to the Bell Races, the Miles Races, and, just last weekend, the Monto Races—and that was a swelter of a weekend, but nonetheless a cracking day. The Chinchilla Melon Fest was a terrific event. I thank the Deputy Premier for coming along and the member for Capalaba for making the effort to come out as well. It is always a cracking weekend. We have many shows. Show season is underway and the electorate of Callide has the most shows of any electorate in Queensland.

Mrs Poole: How many? Mr HEAD: How many, you ask? We have 19 shows! A few too many dagwood dogs may be

consumed throughout the year, but, nonetheless, I am happy to turn up and enjoy the many great communities across Callide. So far we have had the Bell Show and the Jandowae Show, but in the months to come there are many, and there is a chance I might miss some, so I apologise if I do. However, this weekend we have the Gayndah and Wandoan shows. We have the Mount Perry Show, the Monto Show, the Eidsvold Show, the Taroom Show, the Mundubbera Show, the Baralaba Show, and the Theodore Show—the member for Theodore might be interested in that one. We have the Callide Valley Show, or the Biloela Show, the Biggenden Show, the Miles Show, the Chinchilla Show and the Gin Gin Show. Of course we also have different campdrafts, as well as the Gayndah Orange

882 Adjournment 3 Apr 2025

Festival. If you are ever after anything to do, there is never a weekend without a fantastic event in the electorate of Callide. Feel free to make the trip and check out our spectacular national parks, our spectacular communities and there are many tourist events to see as well.

Onto another note, we all well know—and I have spoken about it in this House many a time—the mess in local health services that we inherited, thanks to the failures of the former Palaszczuk-Miles Labor government. At the time of the election, the Biloela maternity ward had been on bypass for nearly 800 days, and they claimed the Chinchilla maternity ward was on bypass, but if you have had something on bypass for 2,109 days, you would have to say it is not just bypass; it is, in fact, shut.

In regards to Biloela, I was there at the hospital not too long ago. I wish to thank the Minister for Health, Tim Nicholls, for the fantastic work he is doing to fix the mess caused by a decade of chaos and crisis that we inherited from the Miles Labor government.

We know that in order to attract and retain staff, we need fantastic accommodation. That is why it is terrific that tomorrow, on behalf of the Deputy Premier, I get to open up some staff accommodation in Chinchilla which will help us attract and retain the staff we need in rural communities. We know that to fix the health crisis, we need to make sure Queensland is a place people want to come to and work, and that means we have to treat our frontline staff with respect, which is exactly what the Crisafulli LNP government is doing.

Woodridge Electorate, Transport Services Hon. CR DICK (Woodridge—ALP) (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (9.07 pm): Local

communities matter—they matter a lot—and so do the issues they raise with each and every one of us. Local communities and their issues are exactly the reason each and every one of us in this chamber seek the honour of serving those communities in the Queensland parliament. Governments must never forget that it is at the grassroots community level that their actions are felt most strongly.

In the 2024 state budget, I secured funding to deliver a new bus service for the suburb of Berrinba in the Woodridge electorate. I was very pleased to secure this funding as I know improved bus services will be of assistance to many local residents and families. I also campaigned to ensure the delivery of this service during the 2024 state election.

Almost six months have now passed since the last state election. Regrettably, since then, I have received no communications from the new Crisafulli LNP government regarding the status of this new bus service. In recent weeks, I have become aware that some members of our local community are being advised by the government that bus stops will be installed in the vicinity of their homes to progress this new bus route. I am concerned by these developments given that local residents have not been properly consulted on the proposed bus route and the bus services to be delivered.

I have written to the Minister for Transport and Main Roads asking him to undertake a formal consultation process with residents in the suburb of Berrinba and surrounding areas. This is vital to ensure the views of local people can be canvassed and considered in relation to the location of the bus route, the location of bus stops, the frequency of proposed bus services and all other relevant matters. I have also asked to be briefed as the local member of state parliament by the minister or his department on the status of the bus route and the bus services to be delivered.

As I said, governments should always focus on local communities and the services that they need. The people of Berrinba and the electorate of Woodridge deserve nothing less.

Cyclone Alfred, Response; Victoria Point Sharks Mrs YOUNG (Redlands—LNP) (9.09 pm): I rise tonight to share my gratitude and support of the

Australian Red Cross and their army of volunteers who helped residents in the Redland community get back on their feet following the fallout of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Last month I joined Minister Camm in Thornlands to open the community recovery hub to support people in their time of need. We were fortunate to be joined by the Red Cross volunteers. We met Wayne, who came all the way from Western Australia. When the recovery hubs first opened in South-East Queensland, the Russell Island centre was one of the busiest—I visited there on the Saturday after Tropical Cyclone Alfred—with more than 200 people seeking assistance on the first day. Red Cross volunteers were on hand to provide care and comfort to distressed locals by providing psychological first aid, registering people into the system for support and referring them to the right agencies inside the recovery hub. In my electorate of Redlands alone, Red Cross volunteers supported well over 1,000 people and helped refer over 600 people to available support.

3 Apr 2025 Adjournment 883

On top of this, the Redlands Coast Community Champions, in their beautiful red shirts, sprang into action to leverage their local knowledge to enhance the community. Trained by the Australian Red Cross and the Queensland police, these community champions are local residents who work closely with the Redland City Council local disaster management group to respond to disasters just like ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Our community is lucky to have such amazing volunteers, who went above and beyond in our time of need.

I would also like to give a big shout-out to the Victoria Point Sharks—my second home, as we like to call it. This past weekend they raised an impressive $16,000 through their Laps for Leukaemia 48-hour Charity Walk to support leukaemia. It was a massive effort for the staffing team at the Sharks, with 800 laps recorded by hundreds of participants in 48 hours straight. I was very pleased to join their incredible efforts. The wet weather did not dampen the community spirit! Rhys, Theresa and Lara: your leadership is inspiring, and it was heartwarming to see so many people walking in support of curing blood cancer.

Pool, Mr JE Mr SULLIVAN (Stafford—ALP) (9.12 pm): I rise with some sadness but respect, because

Stafford has lost a community champion and a legend. John Edward Pool, who everybody knew as ‘Jack’, passed on 22 March this year. His funeral was on Monday. He was a legend, for 30 years leading the Stafford Meals on Wheels. He was recognised as a citizen of the year by Brisbane City Council in years gone by, he was an ABC Community Spirit champion and, locally, he was a Stafford champion through and through. During his 30-year commitment to running Stafford Meals on Wheels, he helped people with disabilities not only receive food but also become volunteers at the service. His efforts ensured that Meals on Wheels thrived and that those in need received the support they deserved.

Jack’s commitment went far beyond delivering meals. He spent countless hours writing grant applications, managing the books, standing at local shopping centres selling raffle tickets and staffing the Bunnings sausage stall for fundraising. He was a gentle giant. Jack was an inspiration to many. His warm, friendly demeanour and relentless efforts made him a beloved figure in our community. Jack’s legacy will go on through the countless lives he has touched and the positive impact he made. The community’s thoughts are with his daughter, Gayle, and family and everyone involved in the Meals on Wheels family that he helped create.

As I said, he was a finalist in the ABC Community Spirit Awards and he had an ongoing commitment to serving the community, living by the motto ‘more than a meal’. My team at the Stafford electorate office and I extend our deepest condolences to Jack’s family. His spirit will continue to inspire us all. As was said at his funeral, he had to grow up early. His mother passed when he was in grade 6. With his dad continuing to work, he left school to raise his younger siblings. He went on to become a very successful apprentice painter and then worked in the painting industry. He continued to contribute to his love of tennis and to other community groups and, as I said, he spent 30 years volunteering for Stafford Meals on Wheels during his so-called retirement. He will not be forgotten.

Redland Hospital Hon. AJ STOKER (Oodgeroo—LNP) (9.15 pm): The Redlands is a growing region and it needs

health services that reflect the needs of our growing and aging population. Our wonderful little Redland Hospital has really struggled as the rate of health investment during the Labor government failed to keep up with the expansion of our region. It is a fabulous little hospital with great people working in it. If we were a little country town it might be enough, but we are no longer a little country town.

I was delighted to visit Redland Hospital in the company of our health minister, the member for Capalaba, the member for Redlands, the federal member for Bowman and the member for Maroochydore, who came with her special ministerial interest in the health of Indigenous Australians. I am pleased to say that the health minister showed us that not only has the stage 1 expansion of Redland Hospital almost reached completion, but the process of recruiting the right people to staff it is underway.

The Amity ward will contain the Redlands’ first intensive care unit, providing critical care and life support facilities in the Redlands for the very first time. The 37 extra beds are much needed and they will help to deal with the emergency room bed block. It is part of the solution to the ramping problem. Of course, Mr Speaker, you will know that under Labor the ramping rate in the Redlands had the dubious honour of being the worst in the state at a time when the state was performing at its worst ever level. In Amity ward, though, there are six single rooms, a bariatric suite and a negative pressure room, providing the specialised services that our community needs. There are inviting facilities for family and

884 Adjournment 3 Apr 2025

friends to use as they support a loved one who is struggling with illness and there is the quality technology and tools that are required to make the Redlands an attractive place for medical and nursing professionals to build a career; they are fitted and almost ready to go.

I want to take a moment to honour the advocacy of my predecessor, Mark Robinson, as the stage 1 expansion approaches delivery. He worked hard for this for a very long time. However, my community will not be surprised to hear that while I am both excited and grateful to see it ready to go, there is much more to do for the Redlands. Stage 2 needs to happen. Our hospital needs an expanded range of imaging services so nurses are not taken off the ward to escort patients to and from the PA and elsewhere each time someone needs something like an MRI or a PET scan. Our region is hungry for more mental health services and the parking situation, despite having a large car park, is still not quite working. That is because staff feel they have to park on the dangerous and busy Wellington Street and take long walks in the dark at night to get there instead of using the lovely new car park for a fee. At a time when families are struggling with the cost of living, I understand how hard it is to make that choice. However, I am fighting for these next steps and I will not give up because this government is committed to getting people better health services where they live when they need them.

(Time expired)

Narangba, School Bus Services Mr KING (Kurwongbah—ALP) (9.18 pm): I rise tonight to talk about school bus services in

Narangba, specifically the need for services to help students get home from Narangba Valley State High School on Wednesday afternoons when classes finish early at 12.30 pm. I have been working with the executive and the P&C at Narangba Valley State High School as well as with Kangaroo Bus Lines, facilitating meetings with Translink representatives. I know the team at Kangaroo Bus Lines have done a lot of work on formal proposals to provide the services the school wants in a way that could be almost cost neutral. That is why I was disappointed recently to receive a letter from the new Minister for Transport telling me that such changes are not possible.

I do note the minister’s advice in the same letter that funding for school bus services is prioritised towards expanding the network into new growth areas. I want to point out that 2,500 new homes are now under construction in the new Kinma Valley, around three kilometres from the high school. That is on top of the 1,500 new homes in the Narangba Heights and Ridge View estates. Both fall within the school’s catchment area.

With a student body of almost 2,000 now and an enrolment capacity of almost 2½ thousand, we should be investing in transport services for Narangba Valley State High School. I look forward to the minister visiting my electorate this month to talk about the Bruce Highway western alternative when he will get to see this growth for himself if we drive the route.

With more high schools delivering flexible timetables to accommodate vocational education options, work experience placements and a focus on students needing intervention and support, it seems to me that Translink’s priorities do need a review, especially when Translink constantly tells us it will not put bus services on for these new estates because the patronage would not warrant them. I reckon that has changed since Labor brought in 50-cent fares.

We have heard so much about community safety in the chamber this week, but when faced with an opportunity to support student safety in Narangba Valley so far it is a no from the LNP, but we will see that change we hope. Student safety is compromised when students leave the school campus to fill in time while waiting for a bus, usually at the shopping centre across the road. The sheer number of students is overwhelming at the shopping centre for other community members, especially local seniors—members can imagine 2,000 students of an afternoon.

Unsupervised students may also be tempted to commit criminal offences. I have heard from community members, shopkeepers and local police about an increase in incidents on Wednesday afternoons. We have an opportunity to turn this around and it is as simple as funding some buses. These are good kids. Let us not let them get on the wrong side of the law through something that can be fixed easily. That is why I have just launched a petition at shaneking.net.au to send a new message and let the minister and the department know that our community deserves better and we want a solution.

3 Apr 2025 Adjournment 885

Southport Electorate Mr MOLHOEK (Southport—LNP) (9.21 pm): Tonight I rise to highlight the ongoing growth and

revitalisation of Southport, the CBD of the Gold Coast. Southport is something of an engine room, and I say that because almost 20 per cent of all employment in our city is based in our CBD, the Health and Knowledge Precinct, Bundall and the industrial estates of Molendinar.

Recently the Southport Chamber of Commerce celebrated Chinese New Year in our very own Chinatown where we packed out Yuyin Chinese Cuisine for a fantastic multicultural event. I want to thank Doug Garvie, Allan Godbee, Trevor and Ara Bruger, Lavinia Rampino and the entire chamber board, all of whom work hard to advance and support local businesses in our broader community.

Our Health and Knowledge Precinct continues to thrive and is a magnificent legacy of the 2018 Commonwealth Games. This hub of innovation is home to Griffith University and the newly created Australian Centre for Precision Health and Technology. It is also home to Cohort, a home for startups, and also the recently created NeuTex Image-guided Therapy for Surgical and Robotics Training Centre. I watched in awe as Dr Hal Rice and Dr Laetitia de Villiers demonstrated non-invasive brain surgery on aneurisms and clot removal. I have been bedazzled by the work of Dr Dinesh Palipana, Claudio Pizzolato, David Saxby, Luke Kelly and David Lloyd at the institute of biomechanics, also at Griffith University. It is all a part of what makes Southport so incredible and I am excited about working with council, Griffith, Gold Coast Health and others as we seek to establish the Gold Coast as an advanced rehabilitation centre of neurowellness and excellence.

Is it any wonder that real estate veteran Andrew Bell, previously the owner of Ray White in Surfers Paradise, is now planning to relocate to Southport? He is a giant in the industry and believes Southport is now the place to be. I need to acknowledge the vision and passion of Robert Badalotti for his commitment to world-class development in my patch. The recently opened TRYP hotel is stunning, as is the cuisine in his new Amore Ristorante. The views from the Imperial Room on level 30, where I was joined by the member for Burleigh just last week at our international education workshop, are just stunning.

There are so many other amazing entrepreneurs, health professionals and community leaders in my patch and it would be remiss of me not to mention some of them, but for the sake of time I will move to congratulating the Gold Coast Bulletin on its 140th anniversary. We joined Belinda Dawes, the general manger; Bob Gordon, the former editor; Andrew Potts, who provided a very entertaining and insightful overview of the history of the paper; Paul Weston; Keith Woods and others from the Gold Coast Bulletin.

Land Valuations Mr KNUTH (Hill—KAP) (9.24 pm): Residential, business and property owners in my electorate

have started receiving the latest land valuations from the Valuer-General causing an influx of complaints to my office. While I understand that landowners have the right to lodge an objection to the land valuation within 60 days of the date of their notice, many are shocked and saddened when they open their letters and see the level of increase. It is great if you are selling your property, but not good news if you want to just continue living a normal lifestyle. Comments I have received are— My valuation has gone from $137,000 to $405,000 for livestock primary producing land and I AM shattered. How AM I going to afford the rate increase?

or— I have had enough … I can’t afford to live on my property anymore … I am better off selling.

In short, notices trigger anger and fear. There is no incentive to continue running a primary production business if rates continue to rise in addition to rising energy, feed and fertiliser costs, rising emergency and waste management levees, rising freight charges and more.

It also needs to be remembered that my region has been hit by two years of natural disasters which have left many businesses and primary producers devastated by the damage caused. It often takes years for the livestock and agriculture to rebound after these natural disasters. Mental health and confidence is already at an all-time low, then along comes the Valuer-General with the wonderful news that their land is valued at 60 per cent or 100 per cent more, which really means now they have to pay higher rates on their land.

886 Attendance 3 Apr 2025

I am not having a go at councils, but there is no doubt that the rates always rise when the Valuer-General hands down its land valuations, as council rates are primarily calculated using these land valuations. The Valuer-General is providing an easy excuse for rate increases, which the majority of those living in regional and rural Queensland simply cannot afford. There must be a better way to manage land valuations based on whether you are selling or retaining your property. Anything is better than adding more cost and burden onto our landowners who are already struggling. This is a huge issue in our region and deserves intense scrutiny and investigation by the state government.

Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 Hon. LJ GERBER (Currumbin—LNP) (Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support and Minister

for Corrective Services) (9.27 pm): I rise to update the House on the Crisafulli government’s consultation with the southern Gold Coast community on Gold Coast Light Rail stage 4. We promised to review this project so all routes and all modes could be considered and so that our community could be genuinely consulted on the transport solutions we need on the southern Gold Coast. I am pleased to see that in the last two weeks more than 2,700 submissions have already been made. The member for Burleigh and I have been holding mobile offices, we have made almost 2,000 calls to our local residents to let them know about the consultation and I have also sent 16,000 households information in relation to the consultation.

Next week the Deputy Premier will be coming down to the southern Gold Coast to hold a community town hall so that our residents can be properly consulted on Gold Coast Light Rail stage 4. This town hall is happening at 6 pm on Wednesday, 9 April at the Palm Beach Share and Care. It is an open forum so that we can listen to the concerns of locals. Those locals who cannot make it can still have their say online at www.qld.gov.au\futuretransport.

Unlike those opposite, who completely railroaded the southern Gold Coast when it came to light rail; who refused to listen; who, when a town hall was organised, failed to even turn up—then minister Bailey failed to turn up when the town hall was organised. What is more, the consultation that they purported to conduct—

Mr Minnikin: It was a sham! Mrs GERBER: I will take the interjection from the member for Chatsworth. It was a complete

sham because it had a predetermined outcome. It did not genuinely consult with locals and it did not include all routes and all modes. It did not give locals on the southern Gold Coast the respect or the say that they deserved. Labor’s evaluation ignored key transport options and failed to consult on all the alternative routes and modes. That is not genuine consultation. That is not what my community deserves.

I am so proud that the Crisafulli government is genuinely consulting with my community and that the Deputy Premier will be coming down to the southern Gold Coast for a town hall forum to hear from our southern Gold Coast locals about the transport solutions that we need on the Gold Coast and the unique environment of our Gold Coast. We have the beautiful Burleigh headland that the member for Burleigh so aptly advocates for in this House and, of course, the pristine electorate of Currumbin. We deserve to have transport solutions that suit the southern Gold Coast. I am pleased that the Deputy Premier will be coming down for a town hall and I am pleased that our community will finally get genuine consultation on Gold Coast Light Rail.

Question put—That the House do now adjourn. Motion agreed to. The House adjourned at 9.30 pm.

ATTENDANCE Asif, Baillie, Barounis, Bates, Bennett, Berkman, Bleijie, Bolton, Boothman, Bourne, Boyd, Bush,

Butcher, Camm, Crandon, Crisafulli, Dametto, de Brenni, Dick, Dillon, Doolan, Dooley, Farmer, Fentiman, Field, Frecklington, Furner, Gerber, Grace, Head, Healy, Howard, Hunt, Hutton, James B, James T, Janetzki, Katter, Kelly G, Kelly J, Kempton, King, Kirkland, Knuth, Langbroek, Last, Leahy, Lee, Linard, Lister, Mander, Marr, Martin, McCallum, McDonald, McMillan, Mellish, Mickelberg, Miles, Minnikin, Molhoek, Morton, Mullen, Nicholls, Nightingale, O’Connor, O’Shea, Perrett, Poole, Powell, Power, Pugh, Purdie, Rowan, Russo, Ryan, Scanlon, Simpson, Smith, Stevens, Stoker, Sullivan, Vorster, Watts, Weir, Whiting, Young