Page 2909 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 20 September 2006
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Wednesday, 20 September 2006
MR SPEAKER (Mr Berry) took the chair at 10.30 am and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.
Petition
The following petition was lodged for presentation, by Dr Foskey, from 401 residents:
Schools—closures
To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory.
This petition of certain residents of the Australian Capital Territory draws to the attention of the Assembly that there is considerable disquiet with the ACT Government’s proposal to close 39 schools and preschools, particularly as some are marked for closure at the end of this year.
School communities want the opportunity to explore other options.
Your petitioners therefore request the Assembly to pass ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey’s “Education (School Closures Moratorium) Amendment Bill 2006” – in order to ensure that no schools are involuntarily closed until 2008, and that no school closures take effect from that date unless supported by a specific vote of the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The Clerk having announced that the terms of the petition would be recorded in Hansard and a copy referred to the appropriate minister, the petition was received.
DR FOSKEY: I seek leave to table drawings from students of Giralang primary school relating to their proposed school closure.
Leave granted.
DR FOSKEY: I table the following documents:
Giralang Primary School—Proposed closure—Drawings (13).
Education (School Closures Moratorium) Amendment Bill 2006
Debate resumed from 16 August 2006, on motion by Dr Foskey:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation and Minister for Industrial Relations) (10.34): The government will not be supporting Dr Foskey’s proposed amendments to the Education Act 2004. The Education Act 2004 clearly acknowledges the rights and obligations of parents and the government in providing high quality education for all children.
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