Page 88 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 24 May 1989
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consultation process that we would presume should continue through the auspices of this chamber.
The Chief Minister has certainly given strong indications that that will be the case and we have heard them again today from the Minister for Housing and Urban Services, Mrs Grassby. We do have some concerns - and I refer to the article by Fia Cumming in this morning's paper - and we have indications that that sort of openness and that consultation process will not go on in the way it ought. That it is of great concern to the Rally and we will be intending to make it part of our position that we ensure that that openness will go on.
We believe that the three committees that have been proposed and railroaded through by the combination of Labor-Liberal-No Self Government are in fact unsatisfactory and will not provide for an appropriate forum for people to present their opinions to this parliament so that people can actually be heard.
With reference to heritage, let me say that our concerns are even more strongly presented following the demolition of the house at Barton. Heritage protection not only relates to the preservation and retention of sites as static displays, but also the establishment and retention of working examples of our past history. Proposals for the development of working sites, like the concept suggested in the Limestone Plains historical park and Gold Creek tourist development, should be examined.
Concepts also exist in suburban landscapes, streetscapes and communities which should be retained. In some ways in heritage matters there seems to be difficulty in understanding exactly what is involved in a living piece of heritage. The heritage committees over the past few years have had great difficulty coming to grips with that. It would appear that the Chief Minister also has some difficulty, judging by her decision to allow the Barton house to be demolished when she had the power to preserve that house, at least for enough time to allow appropriate consultation to take place.
With reference to the environment, I am greatly heartened by the approach of all parties in their concern on the environment, and would emphasise that the Rally also has a great concern on environmental issues. Part of the grouping of the Rally in the early stages was certainly a grouping with the Conservation Council. We intend to work closely with the Conservation Council in putting together our ideas and making sure that their consultation processes are used by this Assembly.
With reference to education, I noticed in the Chief Minister's address that the paragraph preceding the penultimate paragraph refers to education in two sentences. That item is probably one of the highest budgetary considerations throughout the Government, and it is of
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