Page 1172 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 24 April 1990
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factors facing any government which pose threats to particular parts of its activities. I acknowledge that many parts of the Government's challenge entail a real need to address ways of preventing damage to the quality and integrity of things like our education system. I, as Education Minister, will be doing my best to ensure that that does not happen. I think Dr Kinloch actually mentioned, for example, relocation of certain officers away from the central part of Canberra.
Mr Wood: Yes, one example.
MR HUMPHRIES: That is one example. You should ask him about what you think other examples might be. There are always risks to our education system from the way in which changes affect that system. The biggest risk to our system at the present time is the shortfall in Commonwealth funding that we are going to experience in twelve months' time. I think this is far and away the most significant challenge and the most significant threat facing our education system. This Government and I will be doing our best to ensure that that challenge is met and the quality of our education system does not suffer despite those challenges.
MR WOOD: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. The Minister does not seem to have disputed that matter. What, then, is the likelihood of our education system - the jewel in the crown, if you like - being downgraded?
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I sincerely hope that the education system will not be downgraded. I will be doing my best to ensure that this does not occur. It is not possible for me, or anybody else, to give cast-iron guarantees. Naturally, as I think the Chief Minister has made abundantly clear, the fiscal problems we face pose very great threats to a whole range of things in the ACT. I cannot get up here and pretend that I can wave a magic wand over education and say that it will be a sacred cow that will not experience any changes as a result of these major forces affecting the ACT. I think it would be foolish to indicate any such areas. I will be doing my best to preserve the quality of education in the ACT.
School Consolidations
MR JENSEN: Mr Speaker, my question is also directed to the Minister for Health, Education and the Arts, in his capacity as Minister for Education. I refer to the Government's recent announcement regarding the intention to consolidate schools in the context of the 1991 budget. Can the Minister indicate the number of schools which will be consolidated during this period, or this process?
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I thank the member for his question, which I think is helpful in light of the earlier
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