Page 4832 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
school in that assessment. Incorporated in the findings or the outcomes of that consultancy were recommendations in relation to Flynn primary school, recommendations which have not been actioned by the ACT government. But the ACT government are now working closely with that community. We have sought and I have asked my colleagues and officials to seek to bring—
Mr Hanson: You made it on the radio. Why won’t you do it in the Assembly?
MR STANHOPE: I’m getting to that, if you’d stop interrupting, “Mr Burke”. I have asked my ministerial colleagues and officials to seek to conclude this matter, in consultation with the community, before Christmas, hopefully. We are working to achieve that. I am hoping that we can have a good outcome for the people of Flynn and for the people of Belconnen that does suit the significance of that particular school and does provide a sound future. But the delay was caused by the Flynn P&C and Roger Nicoll in pursuing legal action against the government, and do not forget that.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Coe, a supplementary question?
MR COE: Minister, given that neighbours of the school buildings have told me, the Chronicle and the Flynn community group that there are trespassers on the site regularly, including being on the roof, do you still maintain that trespassing is not a problem at the Flynn primary school buildings?
MR STANHOPE: I have never maintained that trespassing and inappropriate and even criminal behaviour was not a problem at Flynn primary school. It is such a problem, and we recognise it as such a significant problem, that we have back-to-base security at the school, we have regular patrols and indeed the school is closely monitored. We do not have a live-in security agent, we do not have full-time permanents watching over the school and the facility but we have applied a level of resourcing and a quite sophisticated level of security for Flynn primary school.
At the end of the day, as with all of our schools and all of our public buildings, we seek to protect them, and we seek to protect them to the extent that we have resources reasonably available. The level of protection being provided to Flynn primary school we believe is appropriate. It is quite resource intensive, it is a significant cost, but it is quite sophisticated. It is closely monitored and we do our best in relation to Flynn primary school, as we do in relation to all of our schools, all of our public facilities, all of our public areas, and indeed all of the community, recognising that there are, unfortunately, antisocial elements within our community, criminal elements within our community, that will from time to time engage in outrageous behaviour.
One cannot help but wonder whether it is the continuing politicising of issues like Flynn that has actually been something of a magnet, so every time Alistair Coe and other Liberals go out there and stir it up, they are actually saying to those elements in the community, if you want to get a ride, if you want to get a bit of public notoriety, just go and stir Alistair Coe up again. It works every time.
MR SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video