Page 4716 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 10 November 2009
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achieved in this place during that time. We seek to provide a voice not only for the environment but also for all those in the community, particularly those who are most disadvantaged.
There are, of course, many other issues which the Greens have been working on in the background and which often go unnoticed. The Greens will continue to work on a broad range of issues with the government, with constituents and with community groups. We think that the ACT parliament is working much better with the Greens at the table and that all Canberrans are getting a better deal from minority government. And in many ways, seeing the government try to out-green the Greens is the biggest compliment of all.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Children and Young People, Minister for Planning and Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation) (12.02): To begin my remarks where Ms Hunter just left off, I feel obliged to say that my tie selection today was not based on trying to outgreen the Greens. Nonetheless, it is a very nice tie, and if in any way it was inspired by the flavour of politics then so be it.
Twelve months ago, Labor won a historic third term of government in the ACT. Some 80,000 Canberrans voted Labor, and to them we said, “We will deliver on our commitments.” We also acknowledge though that many did not vote Labor in 2008, and to them we said, “We have listened, and we are changing.” The government knew we needed to do much better, so we are determined to get on with the job, to get back to common-sense government for the people of Canberra. That means listening to the community, investing in our economy, and delivering on our commitments. Twelve months in to the third Stanhope government, the story is simple: commitments made, commitments delivered. So many opportunities for Canberra, but so much work still to do.
I have said before that being education minister is the most important job I have ever had, so I am proud of the government’s achievements already in our third term. The opening of the Kingsford Smith school marked a new era in education in the ACT. State-of-the-art building is matched only by the dedication of the school staff, the school’s board and the parents and citizens association. All have worked incredibly hard to successfully start the school with a positive culture, and they deserve real public credit for this.
This is a school that not only has a great school pride, but it offers the latest in teaching and learning. The school provides great facilities ensuring all students have access to the latest technologies to prepare them for their future in the 21st century. The school’s environmentally sustainable design includes building orientation, solar passive design and underground rainwater storage tanks. I think we can say very confidently that it is a truly sustainable school. These features help students understand what they can do every day to play their part in tackling climate change. The school is also designed to meet the needs of all students, featuring a purpose-built early childhood wing and excellent facilities for students with special needs. Again, a commitment made and a commitment delivered.
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