Page 1225 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 23 August 1989
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I think that the committee is going to have a wonderful time. Like the Chief Minister, I think it would be one of the best committees to be on. Like the member of my party, Bill Wood, I enjoy going to the theatre, I enjoy going to art exhibitions and I enjoy seeing different things from different countries. I think I would very much enjoy being on this committee.
I do not want to take up much more of the house's time. What I want to say is that I support it but, please, will the committee look into things for children of a young age on holidays, the fact that not everybody understands English well, and the fact that our original people who once owned this land also have rights in this field.
MR STEVENSON (11.41): I support the motion. My colleagues have spoken well on the values that will be looked at with the inquiry. I particularly would like to highlight a point that Mrs Grassby just mentioned, about the possible benefits to children, with an example of a play I went to see on Saturday evening. The Jigsaw Theatre Company had a special preview on at Gorman House and it was entitled Could Do Better. A number of members from the Assembly were there, having been invited along, and it was one of the most inspiring shows for children that I have seen. It got across a wonderful message of the value of setting a goal and striving towards the goal.
The show was about two students, a boy and a girl, who met. He was a footballer, not so much interested in the academic life, and she was considered a "brain" and not so much interested in the sporting life. As the play unfolded, each started to understand the value of the other; they helped each other; they worked at both those activities; and it was most motivational.
There are some 40 to 50 schools throughout Canberra that have already agreed to take the show, and I would recommend to anybody who knows any teachers or principals of schools certainly to mention it to them. If that is an example of what can be done for our young people - and it was not a political message; it was a motivational message - then I would certainly recommend it. Perhaps the inquiry can take note of that specific opportunity that we have.
DR KINLOCH (11.42): I would like very much to echo Ellnor Grassby's and Dennis Stevenson's comments about children. I would commend Ronin Films for running a children's film festival, a splendid thing they have been doing for some years, and they continue with that now. I would certainly like to echo Rosemary Follett's feelings about wishing to be on this committee, bleary eyed or otherwise. If ever there is a spare seat on the bus, give us a call.
Let me now briefly mention Murray Edmonds' report. I will not go into criticisms of it; that has already been done. But my own main criticism of it is a simple one. It is as
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