Page 2695 - Week 09 - Thursday, 9 August 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
the consultative committee established to advise the Minister. On the assumption that that is what he means, yes, I have had several meetings with that consultative group. As Mr Connolly is probably not aware, the group is chaired by Dr Hector Kinloch, the Executive Deputy for Education and the Arts, and the issues that have been canvassed in this schools reshaping project were extensively discussed with those people. I cannot say that they agreed with the course of action that the Government proposed to adopt, and given the fact that that body consists of the very organisations which now oppose the Government's decision, that is not surprising. I can however indicate that there was acceptance of some of the things the Government put forward and, in particular, with respect to the organisations that make up that body, there has been acceptance of some of the things the Government has said and done. I am referring, for example, to the Canberra Pre-School Society, and I will come on to that later today when we come to debate this under Mr Moore's matter of public importance.
However, I have to say that the general tone was not one of acceptance, but that was hardly surprising given the fact that we were talking about closing schools and most bodies of that kind, such as the P and C Council and Teachers Federation, were not prepared to back that kind of move by the Government.
MR CONNOLLY: I ask a supplementary question. The Minister advises us that Dr Kinloch was on that committee. What were Dr Kinloch's views expressed at the committee to the Minister?
MR HUMPHRIES: You should ask Dr Kinloch about that at some other juncture. I should think his views are entirely irrelevant. His job, in respect of the chairmanship of that body, is to convey its views to the Government, not his own.
Ms Follett: But he moved the motion to close schools.
MR HUMPHRIES: He did not - not when he was the chairman of the committee.
National Capital Planning Authority
MRS NOLAN: My question is to the Chief Minister. Is the Chief Minister aware of an article in today's Canberra Times about concerns by the National Capital Planning Authority on the lack of development on the Anglican and Roman Catholic Church sites?
MR KAINE: Yes, I read that article with some interest and at the time I wondered what the intention of the National Capital Planning Authority was in raising the matter in such a way. I wondered whether it perhaps intended to put
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .