Page 4453 - Week 14 - Thursday, 1 December 1994
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I understand that Mrs Carnell's legal advice, saying that section 171B is linked into Part IV, comes from Mr Latimer, her media adviser - a well-known legal expert - which no doubt overrides the advice of the ACT Government Solicitor. Madam Speaker, the Opposition and Mr Moore have dug themselves into an appalling hole over this. That is regrettable. Mr Moore's constant grubby interjections about people dying with AIDS are going to do Mr Moore a lot of harm within that community, because the one thing that that community does not need is that sort of grubby politicisation of their important cause. They know that, if there are serious proposals to supply cannabis under the approved, controlled and sanctioned measures, I will support them. I have told them that repeatedly. I told Mr Moore that the other night. But, instead, he and Mrs Carnell have chosen to go down this regrettable path.
Orana School
MR STEVENSON: My question is to Mr Wood, the Education Minister. It concerns how public money can be best spent to educate children within the ACT.
Mr Wood: You have been getting letters too, have you?
MR STEVENSON: I am sorry, Mr Wood; I did not hear that.
Mr Wood: No; ask your question.
MR STEVENSON: I started early. You did not quite hear it. As members would understand, our school system would be in dire straits if it were not for the non-government school area, where parents are virtually paying twice for their children's education. Examples of such non-government schools are the Steiner schools, of which there are 600 around the world and 42 in Australia, including the Orana School at Weston in the ACT. One of the things that this particular non-government school shows - - -
Mr Wood: Have you been there?
MR STEVENSON: Yes, I have been there. I have known children who have gone there, and I have attended a number of times. Do you have any other interjections, Bill, or do you want me to finish the question?
Mr Wood: I can wait for it.
MR STEVENSON: One of the things that this school has shown is that small schools work. They work, for certain reasons. The parents are usually very committed to the school and to the children. They have a unique situation, where the schoolteacher can take the same children through from class 1 to class 8 and also where the parents need to sign up for a longer period. You have a commitment. There are a lot of benefits. Unfortunately, they do not get any funding from the Commonwealth Government or from the ACT Government. If they were across the border in New South Wales, they would be eligible for funding for classes 7 and 8, irrespective of the Federal treatment. I ask: What has the Minister done or what can he do about getting funding for this particular school and other non-government schools in a similar situation?
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