Page 2931 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 20 September 2006
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Such an approach would give this government the chance to deliver comprehensive findings via a proper reporting process, thereby ensuring any decisions taken to close earmarked schools is done with supported evidence. A comprehensive study of demographics is certainly required. It would be difficult for the current government, intent on closing some 39 schools—over 20 of those being preschools—to ignore the distinct need to be absolutely certain that there are sufficient educational resources allocated to the school campuses where there is identified need.
If the ACT and, I might add, all the families that are affected by the impending school closures are not sufficiently informed about the reasons for closure of each individual school campus, it would be reasonable to expect these same families and their children to ask the hard questions about the need for such closures. What is it? What does this government get? Why can you not give people the information? People would then go away satisfied or otherwise. But you are keeping everything so close to your chest. Confusion and chaos in the community are ever likely.
The government has not provided adequate evidence, documented support or any distinct political reason for the number of school closures. If we are faced with a longer term significant drift that sees children being enrolled in non-government schools, we have to tackle the reasons why this is occurring and prepare accordingly for the shift of student population away from the government education system.
The opposition supports steps to analyse the demand or lack thereof for government school places. It is a responsible approach. It should be a mandatory step adopted to ensure that the education budget is expanded in the most efficient and effective manner. This is what I would expect the ACT taxpayers would demand of any government of the day. Once this step is taken, a clear picture will naturally eventuate whereby the government will then see where surplus land and school building stock exists and will act accordingly. The government has all this information and has had it for a long time. Even the Chief Minister may have alluded to some remark on the ABC about there being a land issue.
Mr Barr can sit there and say, “I am not going to say, ‘Close schools and sell off the land.’” No, you might not, Mr Barr. As I said before, the planning minister might, and so might the Chief Minister. It is all about money. When push comes to shove in this place, it is not about the educational outcomes. Do not be hypocritical. Stand up and say what Mr Stanhope said. Be honest. He used that word.
It would be certainly enlightening if this Assembly were allowed the opportunity by this majority government to debate quite obvious and sensible points that could assist this government in making the tough decisions, which no-one disputes. Tough decisions have to be made. Nobody is denying that. But I have no doubt that all members of this Assembly in time will be disappointed by the lack of foresight and the implementation of ill-thought-out policy in this circumstance.
It is a real pity that we have not had fuller engagement with the community. Those consultations have been an absolute joke. I do not know how you can sit there. How embarrassing! You came up with the same things, the same rhetoric, at every meeting that you attended. It was not consultation. Admit it. It was not consultation; it was
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