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MS FOLLETT: Yes. I was going to read them out first. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The first of these press releases is dated 6 November, and it refers to the immediate period when Flynn school had to close because of fire and smoke damage. It was closed for one week. The second media release is dated 11 November. It refers to the consultation process that the Government did embark on with the Flynn school community in order to arrive at options for making good the damage that had occurred at Flynn. Also, it refers to the interim arrangements for the students from Flynn school to attend Melba and Fraser schools.

Mr Speaker, the Government considered very carefully and consulted very closely with the Flynn school community. As a result of that consultation, a range of options for Flynn were considered by the Government and, as a result of that consultation, the Government did take the decision to reconstruct - - -

Mr Kaine: Mr Speaker, I again take the point of order.

MS FOLLETT: I have leave, Mr Kaine.

Mr Kaine: A personal explanation under standing order 46 has to do with something that relates to the person. This is a justification of the previous Government. I submit to you that it is not a standing order 46 personal explanation. That is the point I was trying to make before.

MR SPEAKER: You have leave, Ms Follett - - -

MS FOLLETT: I do. Mr Speaker, if I may speak to that point of order, my personal involvement in this is as the leader of the previous Government, which Mr Stefaniak has quite clearly accused of having done nothing. I am just indicating, relatively briefly, what action we did, in fact, take. I think it is important that that is on the record.

Mr Kaine: But you never did get around to making a decision about it.

MS FOLLETT: I was coming to that point.

Mr Kaine: You did lots of consulting and talking, but you made no decision.

MR SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. I accept the Leader of the Opposition's statement that, as leader of the previous Government, she is explaining her role in that decision. Please continue.

MS FOLLETT: I will be relatively brief, Mr Speaker, as I said. As the result of the consultation and the discussion of different options for Flynn school, the previous Government took a decision to reconstruct at Flynn, and to reconstruct as a permanent building rather than as a temporary building, in order to meet the needs of that Flynn community. The Government allocated a sum of $585,000 for that task. That announcement is dated 5 January 1994. It is my recollection that, having allocated that money, we had also sought to embark on a process of fast-tracking the approvals for the construction work to occur.


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