Page 4155 - Week 11 - Thursday, 17 Sept 2009
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In regard to the appropriate school size, they used an analysis that said that you should not have small schools. That was an analysis from the United States. Probably a school size in New York is somewhat different from a school size in the village of Hall or Tharwa. So the evidence that was used was used inconsistently and, in some cases, inappropriately.
The consultation process was flawed. I think everybody in the community is aware of that. Ms Bresnan covered that eloquently in her remarks. But I refer you to key findings 3, 4 and 6, which go through the detail about the flawed consultation process. If I have time I will come back to that a little later.
But in terms of looking to the future—and Ms Burch made comments about that—if you do go to the key findings, there are a number of recommendations, findings that came out at the committee inquiry, on how that process could be improved. Certainly, if you are going to look to the future and if you are going to address how mistakes can be rectified, you do have to analyse those mistakes, Ms Burch.
Numerous schools came to us and presented evidence. In particular, I note the schools of Flynn, Cook, Hall and Tharwa. We do not know who else out there has been essentially closed down by this process, who has not had an opportunity to comment, who did not think that they wanted to participate, but certainly those school communities presented extensive evidence that led to a recommendation from the committee, and I refer you to recommendation 13:
The Committee recommends that, based on the demographic, educational, social and economic evidence presented during the Inquiry, that the Government immediately commences the process to reopen the Hall and Tharwa Primary Schools.
Mr Corbell: None of these schools took the opportunity. No other school community of the 20 other schools took the opportunity. None of the others; no other schools.
MR HANSON: Obviously this is the same Mr Corbell that cried so foul over interjections. You can prattle on, my friend. I will not object to your mindless analysis.
Mr Seselja: Jeremy can handle it all right. Jeremy can handle interjections.
Mr Corbell: A little bit of interjection is all right, according to Zed.
MR HANSON: I do not need Mr Seselja to stand up and defend me, thank you very much.
If you actually look at the evidence that was presented by those four schools, it led to the decision that was made by the majority of the committee that the Hall and Tharwa schools should be reopened. If you go through some of the evidence, what has happened to the fabric of those communities is disgraceful. Those schools actually formed the heart of those communities. They are village communities. They do not have the same culture that we have in other schools in other areas where you get a lot
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