Page 2903 - Week 11 - Thursday, 22 October 1992
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Mr Humphries did mention, when I spoke to him a moment ago, that there are a couple of aspects that refer to different areas that I did not pick up in drafting the amendment. I still think it could be better put, but I thank the Attorney-General for his explanation. It mentions paragraph (a) in one subclause but not in another. I seek leave to withdraw the two amendments.
Leave granted.
Amendments withdrawn.
Clause agreed to.
MADAM SPEAKER: I believe that it is the wish of the Assembly to suspend the sitting for lunch. That being so, under temporary order 74 the debate is interrupted and the resumption of the debate on this Bill will be set down as an order of the day for a later hour this day.
Sitting suspended from 12.31 to 2.30 pm
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Cook and Lyons Primary Schools
MR KAINE: Madam Speaker, I would like to address a question to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, on 21 June last year you told the Assembly that the reopening costs for Cook and Lyons primary schools were in the order of $500,000 and at the time you accepted an interjection from the Minister for Education that there would be an additional $100,000 a year maintenance. Around about the same time - in fact, two days before - Karen Hobson, for the Canberra Times, quoted you as saying that it would cost about $500,000 a year to run Cook and Lyons and another $100,000 to maintain current resource levels at all schools until the end of the year. Chief Minister, is it not true that you misled the Assembly and the public by providing details of ongoing annual expenditure when you were asked for details of reopening costs?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, it is certainly not true that I misled the Assembly or the community on this matter. If Mr Kaine wants to quote that Hansard at me, I think that what I actually said was that it was in the order of $500,000 but I did not have the precise figures with me, and I stand by that. Madam Speaker, I think that we have no need to rely on the Canberra Times for these figures, for the allocations on this matter have been detailed, along with all of the other new policy matters, in Budget Paper No. 2 in 1991-92. Page 62 is the relevant reference in that budget paper. The allocation was $657,000 in 1991-92, and $532,000 was the full year effect after having made allowance for one-off re-establishment costs for Cook and Lyons schools.
Madam Speaker, I have some further breakdown of those figures which I am sure members might be interested in. The main figure on which I was advised in connection with the reopening costs was that the reopening would cost a similar amount to that allowed as a saving when the Alliance closed those schools, and
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