Page 2099 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 15 August 2006

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .

---

proposes and the disruption to schools is unprecedented. Therefore, this is why as many avenues for community involvement in this decision should be made available to the community. This is one of those avenues.

I know that it is inconvenient to the government. The government would like to close down this debate as quickly as possible, move on and pretend that there are no real concerns about school closures, but that is not the case. We know, because we have been in the community, the level of anxiety and angst which has been caused by this.

Ms Porter, the chairman of the education committee, has today presented a petition with 2,020 signatures from one school organisation. That is exceedingly significant. We do not see petitions in this place with thousands of signatures on them—and Dr Foskey, with over 3,000 signatures.

This is the level of concern and anxiety in the community. It behoves us as the representatives of the community to take this seriously. It behoves us as an Assembly—not as a government, but as an Assembly—to take the advice of the community. The most effective way for us an as Assembly to take the advice of the community is through the committee system.

The committee system is set up expressly to advise the Assembly on what is going on, not to advise the government. We should not be uncomfortable about this matter being referred to the education committee, which is, by the way, made up of a majority of Labor members. It is a perfectly acceptable form of the house; not widely used, but that does not therefore diminish its usefulness and its utility on this occasion.

The people of the Canberra community are crying out to be heard on this issue. It is a signal of this government’s reluctance—probably fear—that the community is heard on this issue that they would close this down. The Assembly members should support this simple reference.

Mr Corbell: What will the committee do?

MRS DUNNE: They could inquire and hear what the community has to say because you, the leader of the house in here, do not hear what the community has to say. It is a useful conduit for the community. If this government is not afraid of the community, they should refer it to the committee.

Question put:

That Mrs Dunne’s motion be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

---

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .