Page 3817 - Week 13 - Thursday, 18 October 1990
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QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
School Closures - Behaviour of Schoolchildren
MS FOLLETT: Mr Speaker, my question is to Mr Humphries, the Minister for Education, and it is in relation to an article in yesterday's Canberra Times which was entitled "Dirty deeds in Canberra's closing schoolyards". It referred to the deteriorating behaviour of children in schools which are scheduled to close. I ask Mr Humphries: Are you concerned about those reports, and what action have you taken? Further, is it true, as reported this morning, that the allocation to the school reshaping team for grief counselling has been axed?
MR HUMPHRIES: I thank Ms Follett for her question. I have to indicate that, yes, I am concerned about the issues that were raised on that front page of the Canberra Times. There is a tendency, I believe, in the present circumstances of active campaigns by school communities to prevent the closure of their particular school, for some propagandising to go on. I do take with a grain of salt some of the things I hear that are supposed to flow from the closure of schools, particularly when one measures them against the things that might have happened in respect of closures of schools in previous years or the closure of schools in other States. However, I do treat all of these things seriously and it is my intention, although I have not yet passed on that intention to the Department of Education, to have those matters investigated and reported to me.
In terms of the comments in the paper yesterday concerning counselling, the crucial schools closure counselling days provided under transitional funding have not been withdrawn, despite the reports in yesterday's paper. The valuable resource remains for use according to the requirements of the affected schools. To date there have been some 23 counsellor days used by the three education support regions. This leaves more than 70 counselling days remaining, which will be used to assist the closing schools in 1990, such as there are, as the regional support directors see the need. Some counsellor days may be retained for use by the receiving schools in 1991. These counsellor days are in addition to the normal counsellors who are provided to all schools, of course. For the closing schools such counsellors, used in combination with those provided out of transitional funding, represent a substantial resource.
Mr Speaker Prowse
MR BERRY: My question is directed to Mr Kaine, the Chief Minister. Mr Kaine, yesterday you referred in this Assembly to the Speaker as "ex-Speaker". Mr Kaine, does Speaker Prowse have your full confidence and support?
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