Page 1994 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 5 June 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
$12,000. They include two supermarkets and a number of well known restaurants or discos. This is perhaps indicative of current trading difficulties. I am waiting to have further advice from GALA as to what this unprecedented situation implies for ACT revenue.
Baby Health Centres
MR BERRY: My question is directed to the Minister for Health, Education and the Arts, Mr Humphries. I hope that we can get an answer to this question because we have not had much luck this afternoon. Will the Minister be closing baby health centres that are located adjacent to preschools or schools that will be closed?
MR HUMPHRIES: Once again, Mr Speaker, Mr Berry is seeking information on decisions that have not been made. I have no plans to close any baby health centres at the present time. I cannot categorically rule out that that issue might be explored in the future. There is, I recall, some indication from the Priorities Review Board that these issues should be considered. I fully appreciate the political sensitivity of making such decisions and therefore I would need some convincing that such decisions ought to be made. However, I will not pre-empt that decision. If Mr Berry is seeking for me to rule out particular options arising out of the Priorities Review Board then the answer is that I will not.
School Closures - Impact on Suburbs
MS FOLLETT: My question is to the Chief Minister and it relates to the Priorities Review Board. Mr Kaine, the PRB report states that Downer is showing ageing characteristics and needs revitalisation. It makes that statement in arguing for the old school and its associated green space to be used for urban infill. I would ask: do you agree that ageing characteristics are associated with suburbs when schools are closed and, therefore, that school closures destroy the social diversity of our suburbs?
MR KAINE: This is a very interesting question, Mr Speaker. It seems to require a matter of opinion rather than what the Government might or might not do in connection with any recommendation that comes from the Priorities Review Board. Probably the observation of the board that the suburb is showing ageing characteristics is fairly accurate. I bought a house in Downer in 1961. That is nearly 30 years ago, so obviously the subject is showing some signs of ageing. I think the thrust of your question was: what is the impact of closing a school in a suburb like Downer? I will express an opinion. I think that, when a suburb like that ages, the school is really not needed for educational purposes because the number of students falls below a
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .