Qld: Beattie dismisses calls for Upper House in Qld

AAP General News (Australia)
04-21-2006
Qld: Beattie dismisses calls for Upper House in Qld

By Nikki Todd and Johanna Leggatt

BRISBANE, April 21 AAP - Premier Peter Beattie has dismissed calls for the reintroduction
of an upper house in Queensland, saying his government was already accountable enough.

Former governor-general Bill Hayden opened a conference in Brisbane today calling for
the reintroduction of an upper house in the Queensland Parliament.

Queensland's upper house was abolished in 1922 by a Labor government and it's the only
Australian parliament without one.

Mr Beattie said an upper house was not necessary in Queensland as the Crime and Misconduct
Commission (CMC) had powerful watchdog responsibilities.

"We are the only state in Australia that has a CMC with the power that it has," Mr Beattie said.

"The CMC is more powerful than any upper house."

He said parliamentary committees were also independent and performed the same function
as a Senate, adding the community would never condone the election of more politicians.

"I am totally opposed to more politicians and I will never, ever, ever support a position
of the upper house because it means a lot more politicians," he said.

He said another house would be unnecessarily costly and provide little more accountability
than was already provided in the current parliamentary set-up.

"At the end of it, it costs the taxpayer a fortune for what?" Mr Beattie said.

"Accountability mechanisms are here now."

Dr Hayden said the watchdog function of a Senate was needed in Queensland. However,
he said it would be an "extremely difficult challenge" to convince people of the need
for change.

"I recall the conduct of constitutional referendums in this country, so few of which
have succeeded," he said.

AAP nt/sc/jt/jlw

KEYWORD: UPPER QLD

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.