Page 1153 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 7 May 2014
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
MR DOSZPOT: Exactly. Unfortunately, the victims of that self-centred indulgence are ordinary Canberrans who, week after week, see debate on light rail and wind farms, on piggeries and other things that do not matter, when all they want is good schools, reliable transport systems, good and reliable garbage services, clean streets, safe footpaths and affordable rates.
Only last Friday in a community consultation I received a number of examples and complaints from a constituent who was very concerned about the national and international issues that are taking up the time of this Assembly. She believed strongly that they should not be taking up the time of the Assembly, and she is right. Rather, I think our focus in the Assembly should be on the things that matter to the community in Canberra, and on things on which we can make a difference in this Assembly.
One of those, of course, is education, because good education is so much a fundamental building stone to life. Success in life starts with access to and availability of quality education. With quality education comes wider life choices.
In Canberra, we are blessed with a range of school systems. Parents have choices in what they wish for their children, and they clearly appreciate that. Only last week I was honoured to attend the opening of our newest non-government school, John Paul College. It was a great day and a joyous occasion. I know for those involved it was the culmination of a lot of hard work and persistence, and it is testament to the dedication and commitment of those who believe educational choice is important for Canberra families.
For those who are not aware, John Paul College faced enormous challenges when poor planning, slack environmental process and obfuscating bureaucracy resulted in unnecessary additional and substantial amounts of money. And who knows? It might be the last non-government school that actually gets to full operational mode, given the carry-on last year from certain sections when the minister exercised her rights as minister for education and approved three new non-government schools.
I can never understand why people who are so fervently supportive of public schools are so fervently opposed to any growth in non-government schools. Apart from the financial benefits of having a non-government school sector—and they are considerable, when you look at the amounts of money that go to each—it is about delivering what parents want, and that should be the focus of any government, irrespective of political persuasion.
In Canberra, more than any other jurisdiction in Australia, parents want choice. It is not uncommon for parents to choose a non-government preschool, a public primary school, a non-government high and a government college education. That is the strength of the ACT education system, and it is something that should be welcomed and promoted. Instead we see the minister, in my view unnecessarily, having to defer to new approval processes and seek support from groups like the ACT AEU and Save Our Schools. None of those groups, I would suggest, can have any claim to any particular knowledge of non-government schooling, but they have taken it upon themselves to demand that they be the arbiters of what options parents should have.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video