Page 2690 - Week 09 - Thursday, 9 August 1990
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MR KAINE: I was surprised and disturbed in the debate this morning to hear Mrs Grassby, knowing it to be untrue, say that I had said that I was lowering the standard of education. This has been said before in this house and it is another case of the misrepresentation that we are subjected to by members of the Opposition. Over the last year and a half I have spoken many times and at great length about the Liberal Party's policy on education and the Alliance Government's policies on education. I have always emphasised that the objective, both of the Liberal Party and the Alliance Government, is to maintain the excellent standard of our education system but to provide it at less cost.
I have never said that I would reduce the standard of education. I am absolutely amazed that the members of the Opposition have become so inept at being in opposition that they fall for the caper of misrepresentation, distortion and manipulation of what members on this side of the house say. Mr Acting Speaker, I refute that I have ever made the statement that Mrs Grassby attributes to me. I must say that this kind of deliberate misrepresentation and manipulation and distortion of what I and other members say in my view is dishonest and despicable. I want that on the record.
Sitting suspended from 12.31 pm to 2.30 pm
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Minister for Health, Education and the Arts
MS FOLLETT: I think my question ought to be to the Chief Minister. Where is his Minister for Education? Why has he chosen to absent himself from question time?
MR KAINE: I will answer it quite bluntly, Mr Acting Speaker. I do not know. I saw him five minutes ago on the fifth floor and he is probably like the members of the Opposition this morning who seemed to get stuck in a lift and could not get down from the first floor to be here in time for the Assembly to sit.
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
MR STEVENSON: My question is to the Attorney-General, Mr Collaery. Mr Acting Speaker, in a news release dated 4 July 1990, Mr Collaery says that the ACT Government supports the Commonwealth Government's signing of the UN convention on the rights of the child. Is the Attorney-General aware that a large proportion of people in Australia do not share that view? As an example, on Friday, 3 August the 7.30 Report on Queensland's channel 2 TV
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