Sleepers

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament 16 Jun 2011

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/legislativeAssembly/Hansard/documents/2011.pdf/2011_06_16_DAILY.pdf

Queensland Rail, Tender Process
Mr MESSENGER: My question without notice is to the Minister for Transport and Multicultural
Affairs. I refer the minister to Queensland Rail's decision to change from a contract system of
purchasing wooden railway sleepers to a tendering system, a decision which puts at risk the jobs and
livelihoods of 56 sleeper cutters and some 200 indirect Queensland jobs while potentially giving these
jobs to New South Wales. I also refer the minister to her decision not to meet with some 25 Burnett and
Callide sleeper cutters who will visit this place tomorrow so that they can try to talk with her in order to
protect their families' livelihoods. Will the minister change her mind and accept our offer to have a
hamburger tomorrow with these hardworking Queenslanders who just want to save their jobs and
protect their families' incomes?
Ms PALASZCZUK: I would like to thank the member for Burnett very much for his question. I just
want to put some facts on the table which I think the member for Burnett has not made very clear.
Queensland Rail is at the moment in a tender process for the supply of timber sleepers. This is a tender
process and as the Minister for Transport, on legal advice, I cannot meet with people who are the
subject of this tender process. There are probity issues relevant here. As a lawyer I also understand that
I must meet my legal obligations in relation to this matter. I am more than happy to meet with these
people at any other stage, but, as members would be aware, I am respectful of my legal obligations in
relation to this matter. That is the right thing to do. However, I am somewhat concerned about a phone
conversation that the member for Burnett made to a senior executive of Queensland Rail. I would
question whether or not this is ethical behaviour.

Mr MESSENGER: I rise to a point of order. The minister is misleading the House. I made no
phone call to a Queensland Rail executive. That executive made a phone call to me which I considered
was going close to interfering with the free and fair performance of a member of this place.
Ms PALASZCZUK: A phone call was made and unfortunately that phone call—
Mr Messenger: Did you ask him to make that phone call?
Ms PALASZCZUK: No, I did not. That phone call was taped. I question the ethical behaviour of a
member of parliament taping a public servant's conversation without telling them. I take this as a very
serious matter.
Mr MESSENGER: I rise to a point of order. I rise on a matter suddenly arising. The minister is
talking about the ethics of taping telephone conversations and the legality of taping telephone
conversations in Queensland. Might I refer the minister to a library brief which indicates that it is quite
legal to tape a conversation that you are a participant in and that it is quite legal, in fact, to tape
telephone conversations that are not directly electronically connected into the telephone. So the
minister, I suggest through you, Mr Speaker, should get her facts straight.
Ms PALASZCZUK: I will be seeking advice on this matter and I will be looking at whether or not I
should refer this matter to the Integrity, Ethics and Parliamentary Privileges Committee.
Mr SPEAKER: If you wish to do that there is a procedure to do that. You place that in writing to
me and I will examine the material. The time for question time is over.

[Jonno]

Shouldn't they be replacing timber sleepers with concrete?

[Golliwog]

Depends. IIRC timber is cheaper but requires more maintenance, but not sure how that cost ends up on the long term. They do however seem to be using more concrete ones (FG duplication is going to be concrete sleepers). But for things like train yards etc, theres little point in using concrete sleepers, its not like they carry heavy loads or fast trains.

[Gazza]

Shouldn't they be replacing timber sleepers with concrete?

I agree with this.