Page 2928 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 20 September 2006
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Let us have a look at Dr Foskey’s bill. We support this bill. Let us note part of it. It reflects the expressed desires of the ACT Parents and Citizens Council and the Canberra Preschool Society. It is being supported by the ACT branch of the Australian Education Union and the Save Our Schools Coalition. It is quite clear then, is it not, that the government is choosing to ignore the majority of the ACT population. How arrogant is this? They talk about consultation. The meetings I have been to have simply been dictates from the department via the minister who has been shoved out there like some fleece. Mr Barr talked about arbitrary delay. I thought the government were all about consultation. Why the rush? What is the problem? Why all of a sudden?
We will support Dr Foskey’s bill. We would like to ramp it up, if we are allowed to in this place, and firm up that very fine bill that she has put forward today.
Mr Stanhope talked yesterday of 60 meetings. The Chief Minister said yesterday they were firstly directed to the special and culturally sensitive needs of indigenous students. I have, direct from the community, words that would absolutely, totally say that is incorrect. He also referred to students with a disability. We all saw the knee-jerk response, did we not, when it was raised in this place: “We will let the schools stay open, yes, for another term.” What a disgrace! For those people most vulnerable in our community, this is the best that we can do!
I do not consider any of the meetings to have been consultative. I do not consider any of this shambolic mess to have been well organised, well constructed and well delivered. When I asked about individual plans for students—and I include students with a disability and students from indigenous and sensitively cultural backgrounds—on 23 August this year Mr Barr told me:
There are individual plans for individual students, Mrs Burke, and they are private between the department and the students.
Much has been made about planning for students, but I see no evidence. I doubt that we ever will, because the minister is telling us they are private. How do we know that they exist? We only have the minister’s word for that. I will not go into that. I will not go into it because Mr Barr will have the chance to respond and table in this place the construct of those individual plans. I do not want names.
Mr Barr: I cannot; they are individuals.
MRS BURKE: Are they? I see. But I would like to see the evidence, you guys. As far as I can see, there is no mention of indigenous families in the Towards 2020 plan or on the web site. I am told by the community and a prominent indigenous family that there has been no separate consultation at all. Maybe you are playing catch-up now and are being very selective again. Let us have a look at a particular case. I do not intend to speak long and often on this—perhaps I should speak long and often.
Mr Hargreaves: You do.
MRS BURKE: And I do, Mr Hargreaves, because the community deserves to know. Unlike the government, the opposition will speak long and loud about this. This is
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