Page 3034 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 11 September 1990
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gone on television or radio last night and started to talk about what was in the budget, then I
certainly would have considered some disciplinary measure. But, as I understand it, that was not what he did. Therefore the question, of course, is merely of academic interest.
School Closures - Transitional Committees
MR MOORE: Mr Speaker, my question is directed to Mr Humphries, as Minister for Education. Under section 38 of the Schools Authority Act 1976, the functions of school boards include responsibilities for expenditure of funds, educational policies and relationships between schools and communities. My question deals with the transitional committees which have been set up by the Ministry of Education and which use people from the closing schools and the receiving schools. Their tasks include those which have been assigned by the Act to boards. Under what Act or regulation have they been established or, if they have no function under law, what legal protection do the members of the transitional committees have? For example, what protection do they have against being personally sued for negligence, should their actions be at odds with the legally constituted school boards? Basically, have you purposely put people in this predicament, or does this just reflect the same incompetence that has been demonstrated so often in your handling of the school closures issue?
MR SPEAKER: Order! I ask you to withdraw that, please, Mr Moore.
MR MOORE: What?
MR SPEAKER: It is an imputation against a Minister. Just withdraw the last - - -
MR MOORE: Mr Speaker, it is generally accepted by the vast majority of the community that the school closures have been incompetently handled. No reflection is intended.
MR SPEAKER: Order! I think it was a general imputation.
MR MOORE: I shall withdraw, Mr Speaker, in the interests of keeping the proceedings moving.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I thank Mr Moore for his question. I am not aware of any lack of authority on the part of officers of my department to conduct work connected with the schools reshaping plan. I am certainly aware of the responsibility placed on school boards, under section 38, but I cannot say on what basis Mr Moore's advice has been given to him. I assume it has been given to him by somebody and that there is an original basis for that kind of action. I will happily take advice on the matter and get back to Mr Moore.
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