Page 2636 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 8 August 1990
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School Closures
MR BERRY (5.12): I rise briefly to talk about the issue of the rally which occurred outside this place today. It has been a dreadfully cold day and I think those people and their children who are concerned about school closures are to be congratulated on exposing this Government for what it is. Their job is a difficult one. The notables amongst those at the rally have indicated to me that they will keep up the fight. It is a fight worth carrying up to the Government until the Government is toppled. One would hope that sooner or later members of the Government opposite, particularly those who have in the past expressed some support for our school system and who have now changed their position, might see the error of their ways in the face of the Opposition which is emerging from the community on the issue of school closures and support the Labor Opposition in its pursuit of means to prevent schools from closing.
I stood out there and just watched some of the faces of those who are concerned about the closures. It seems to me that the stress that has been suffered by people genuinely concerned by this rabid attack - that is all that I can describe it as - on the school system is absolutely unnecessary. It is uncalled for and it will be a reflection on the first term of this Assembly for many years to come.
Mr Humphries and Mr Kaine will wear most of it, and of course the Residents Rally, I suspect, may not be involved in politics in this city for too much longer. But the people within the Residents Rally - Collaery, Jensen and Kinloch - who refuse to support the neighbourhood concept in our school system will be remembered by everybody who suffer at the hands of this Government when each school closes.
It is now a matter of record that these people are responsible for it, but in addition to them Craig Duby, described as the most hated man in Canberra, will be amongst the most remembered for his actions; Carmel Maher will also wear the responsibility for that. It is not good enough for these people to front up to members of the community with kind smiles and platitudes. The fact of the matter is that they are part of a system that is tearing communities apart. They have not studied properly the effects of what they are doing, they have not had the participation of the community in the decision making process, and they have failed to recognise the disastrous effects that it will have on ordinary members of the community, their families, small business and the nature of Canberra's planning as a whole.
I think this Government is to be condemned for its behaviour. It will be condemned, and no speeches from the other side will save it.
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