Page 222 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 13 February 1991

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Mr Kaine: I withdraw, Mr Speaker; but it is indicative of the kind of questioning that we get.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I know that my answer will enable Mr Berry to rush out in his usual petty fashion and issue a press release saying, "Royal Canberra Hospital South hydrotherapy pool to close", blah, blah, blah, "under threat, Government has eye on pool" blah, blah, blah. But I am not going to give any - - -

Mr Berry: It does not say that.

MR HUMPHRIES: Well, I am sure it says something very similar; very similar indeed.

Mr Berry: It does not say that.

MR HUMPHRIES: Obviously, he has it ready. I have to indicate that I am not going to give any of those assurances. However, I might say that it is very hard to imagine how the Royal Canberra Hospital South could do without its hydrotherapy pool.

MR BERRY: I have a supplementary question. I heard the Minister say that it is hard to imagine how the hospital would do without its hydrotherapy pool. He has not, therefore, denied that the pool will close. If the answer to the question is yes, that he does deny it, what action has the Minister taken to allay the concerns of people with disabilities who first heard these rumours at the pool itself? We do not know whether the answer is no, because we cannot get an answer out of him. If the answer is no, where will the patients of the hospital system receive the valuable treatment currently provided at the hydrotherapy pool? All I want is a little less equivocation and an answer on what is really an important and meaningful question.

MR SPEAKER: The manner in which you ask that question makes it a hypothetical question, Mr Berry, and I disallow it.

Year 12 Graduates

DR KINLOCH: My question is to Mr Humphries in his role as Minister for Education, especially that part of his role concerning tertiary education. Could we consider the year 12 ACT graduates from last year? To what extent have they been able to qualify to enter tertiary education at university level in 1991?

MR HUMPHRIES: Despite the claims of some people, there are certainly some very good signs concerning education in the ACT. I thank Dr Kinloch for the opportunity to indicate some of those signs. In 1990, nearly 4,000 students


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