Page 359 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 19 February 1991
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School Enrolments
MR WOOD: I direct a question to Mr Humphries, as Minister for Education. Mr Humphries, what trends in enrolments have emerged in the government school sector in 1991? In particular, are there more or less students enrolled than in 1990?
MR HUMPHRIES: In answer to that question: I think Mr Wood has seen a letter - I think it was in today's paper, or possibly yesterday's paper - from a deputy secretary of the department, Mr Max Sawatzki, on the question of enrolments in government vis-a-vis non-government schools. The indication, I think, from that letter - and I convey the advice again to Mr Wood - was that there have not been any dramatic changes in the numbers of students enrolling in government schools.
Mr Wood obviously holds to the conspiracy theory that there was some plot to drive children out of government schools into non-government schools. Certainly, his party has stated that in the past; I do not know whether Mr Wood shares the view. But, Mr Speaker, I can assure you that that is not the intention of the Government, and it has not been the result of the Government's actions in any significant fashion. I will be happy to table exact enrolment figures for the whole school system once the census information, which I think has been collected in the last few weeks, is available.
Hospital Services Budget
MR BERRY: My question is directed to Mr Humphries. Will the Minister assure the Assembly that the ACT hospital system is operating within budget? If it is not, what is the expenditure difference between the budget and actual costs, and what are the current full year projections?
MR HUMPHRIES: At this stage I have received no advice of any variation in the patterns of expenditure on the part of the hospital system, vis-a-vis the budget. I therefore operate on the assumption that the budget is on track. At the moment, if that is not the case I am quite confident that I will be advised, and in turn I will come back to the Assembly and similarly advise.
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