Page 3244 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 18 October 2006
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An informed debate on education is important, but attempts by lobby groups to attack the credibility of a proposal by using half-truths and selective quotes do not assist school communities. I am aware that the report by the ACT Council of P&C Associations is not the only document confusing school communities. Mrs Dunne, as we know, has issued a community survey containing half-truths and scaremongering.
I am sure all members of the Assembly found particularly interesting the article that has been referred to in this place that appeared in the Canberra Times on 7 October. The article, entitled “Charnwood parents tell Dunne to butt out” was highlighted by the minister yesterday. The article opened:
Charnwood Primary School parents want Save Our Schools Canberra and Opposition education spokesman Vicki Dunne to butt out of the debate about the school’s future, saying they are doing more harm than good.
The parents say both Mrs Dunne and Save Our Schools …
That is implying that a decision has already been made to reduce it to a preschool to year 4 school. The article concluded with the school communities stating they were right in their submission and in placing their trust in the government’s consultation process.
Dr Foskey is also trying to derail the consultation process by enlisting a student who performed work experience in her office to undertake a survey of school students. The survey calls on SRC members to pass out the survey and send the results not to the Towards 2020 team or the minister but rather to the office of Dr Foskey. This is not genuine consultation. It is just another underhand attempt to bolster the number of students on the ACT Greens’ mailing lists, I would suggest.
In contrast, this government is engaging in genuine consultation on the proposal that has been put to the Canberra community and will continue to do so. This attempt by Dr Foskey to derail the consultation process is unhelpful and will be opposed by this government. Are you serious, Dr Foskey, when you have to be rung to come down to the chamber because you are due to speak? What kind of commitment is that? Mrs Dunne and Dr Foskey like to criticise the backbenchers of the government. However, cheap shots at members on this side are not adding constructively to the debate. My regular mobile offices do not lead me to draw the same conclusions as Mrs Dunne.
My numerous visits to schools and parents’ homes and my numerous meetings with parents, board members and P&C members in my office show that they appreciate that the backbenchers of the government are there to work with them to help them bring forward to the minister positive, innovative responses during this period. Where there are particular families or particular children that I believe need special interventions, I have made those needs known strongly to the minister.
As the minister has said, we acknowledge that there are serious difficulties facing the public education system in the ACT. This government is prepared to make this record investment into public education in the ACT. We will provide world-class and sustainable public education.
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