Page 5194 - Week 17 - Thursday, 13 December 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Education - Links with New South Wales
MR JENSEN: Mr Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister for Health, Education and the Arts, Mr Humphries. Could the Minister indicate whether it is true that as the Minister for Education he is developing new links with New South Wales and, if so, why these links are being developed?
MR HUMPHRIES: I can exploit my fabulous intelligence to answer Mr Jensen's question. It is the case that the Government is involved in developing closer working relationships between the ACT public school system and that of the surrounding south-eastern region of New South Wales.
This is part of the overall strategy of enhancement and development of the Canberra region and is being received very positively by both governments. The meeting only last week, I think, of the South East Economic Development Council, I believe it is called, emphasises the importance the ACT places on cooperation at that level.
Senior officers of my ministry have had discussions with those of the New South Wales ministry and initial investigations have commenced into the possibility and the desirability of the creation of alternative approaches to the delivery of post-compulsory education, that is, secondary college level education, for students from Queanbeyan and the surrounding areas of New South Wales. There are a number of exciting possibilities that present themselves, including that of a secondary college, a la ACT style, for Queanbeyan. In addition, consideration has been given to the most appropriate forms of delivery of special education services for students from that region. Members will be aware that a large number of those services are consumed by people from surrounding New South Wales.
I would also like the Assembly to be aware that students will benefit significantly from a recent agreement which provides a legal basis for New South Wales and ACT public school students gaining work experience in each other's areas. The overall aim of the new association between the two systems is to provide maximum educational opportunity for students within that region and ultimately to benefit the entire region.
Alliance Government
MRS GRASSBY: My question is to the Chief Minister. Are the Liberal Party Ministers abandoning the Government and leaving it in the uncertain hands of the junior coalition partners? Will Mr Collaery and Mr Duby be completely free to hold Cabinet meetings and make decisions in all areas of Government policy while the two Liberal Party Ministers are on holidays?
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .