Page 4882 - Week 16 - Thursday, 29 November 1990
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It is very disturbing that it has arisen from a flawed decision by the Government to close down schools. It is a decision which has been discredited at every turn, a decision which the Government itself even discredited when it changed its mind. We have had three final outcomes from the Government on school closures. The members of the Government have all decided to run for cover now, because they do not want to hear these sorts of things. They are a little worried about hearing from the people who would have the numbers in this place if they so chose. So, the Government has cut and run and left the Assembly in a sad state. I wish the cameras were here to record it. Has somebody called them?
There is a confrontation looming over the school closures. It is a sad case, and, of course, with the pupil-free days the Government intends to move the children into other accommodation until the end of the term, at huge expense to the people - something like $15 a day, I think, was the figure, was it not, Mr Moore?
Mr Moore: Yes, $15 a day.
MR BERRY: It will cost $15 a day for each child to have them looked after in the accommodation which is to be provided by the Government, and it is, indeed, second-rate accommodation. All of this is at a time when this confrontation has developed. I think it is a sad day for the Territory, Mr Speaker. In other circumstances I am sure that we would have had some sort of response from the Minister responsible, but we have nothing but echoes from the other side of the chamber because every chair is empty. It is my pleasure to see the cowardice of this Government in the face of adversity; its members have all done a bolt and refused to face up to the music in this adjournment debate.
Conduct of the Assembly
MRS GRASSBY (5.45): Mr Speaker, talk about rats running away. This ship does not even have to be sinking; but they were really scared tonight when we ran around and found out that the Chief Minister had left, Mrs Nolan and Mr Duby had gone to Perth together, and Mr Humphries had gone off somewhere else. All of a sudden, Mr Speaker, they realised that they did not have the numbers and we could refuse the adjournment and get on to the most important things of keeping schools and hospitals open.
What did they do, Mr Speaker? They ran for their lives. They left the house. Mr Collaery ran around and worded everybody up, "Oh, my God, we are in trouble". They ran like rats, one after another out of this house, and wherever they have gone to I hope they can hear us. At
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