Page 173 - Week 02 - Thursday, 25 May 1989
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MR BERRY (Minister for Community Services and Health) (12.18): As Minister responsible for that area of concern which relates to the motion moved by Mr Kaine, I give an assurance to this Assembly that the resources of my department will be made available to the committee when considering this matter.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Sitting suspended from 12.19 pm to 2.30 pm.
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
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SCHOOLS VISITS BY PARLIAMENTARIANS
MR STEFANIAK: The Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Industry, Employment and Education put out a press release yesterday stating that politicians are welcome in schools. The press release related to members of the Federal Parliament. Does that also relate to members of this Assembly? If so, is that correct because I understand there was a directive sent out to schools last Monday - it certainly arrived last Monday - which put on hold any visits by any parliamentarian or indeed member of this Assembly to schools in the ACT?
MR WHALAN: My statement yesterday arose from a newspaper report in yesterday's "Canberra Times". The report in the "Canberra Times" was an extraordinary misreport of the circular which was sent out by the Chief Education Officer to all schools concerning this matter. I must emphasise that was dated 8 May and obviously was sent out before this Assembly met for the first time and formed the Government which is currently here. The circular alerted principals to the fact that there would shortly be a new Government in place and that that might require the establishment of new principles in relation to organising visits to schools by politicians.
The statement that I made yesterday, as a result of that and approaches that I received from Mrs Kelly and from Senator Margaret Reid, made it very clear that it is the Government's intention that schools should be visited regularly by all politicians - our local politicians, federal and territorial. That is in the interests of politicians themselves in acquainting themselves with the problems, features and difficulties that any of the schools might be experiencing and also is part of the process of increasing children's awareness about matters of a political nature. Schools are important and it is
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