Page 1344 - Week 07 - Thursday, 24 August 1989
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Mr Stefaniak: I could never ride a surfboard, so I would have trouble with a skateboard.
MRS GRASSBY: I think that is probably true. I have not had any complaints from anybody about young people on skateboards. My only fear is when I see them on the road, because I am frightened that some truck or car may run them down. I would rather see them on the footpath. I must honestly say I have never been endangered by one. But, if I get any terrible complaints about it, then I will probably look into it, seeing I am in charge of the footpaths and the roads. It is a sport, so it probably comes under the Minister for sport, and I am not sure whether the Chief Minister would want to have a skateboard anyway.
Road Signs
DR KINLOCH: My question is to the Minister for Housing and Urban Services. It has been suggested that the present cost of the maintenance of road signs, line marking, traffic reflectors, et cetera, is excessive, possibly twice the amount of a private tender for the same work. So my question is somewhat in the mood of Mr Kaine's question but related to the private sector. Could the Minister comment on the Government's policy on seeking private tenders especially on public works and especially if these private tenderers can do it at half the price? Will the Minister undertake to look into the specific matter of tendering for these kinds of jobs?
MRS GRASSBY: Yes, I would be very happy to look into that, but may I say right now, Dr Kinloch, there is no way I will put people out of jobs in the public service. That is their job at the moment. But I will look into it and find out whether we had any private tenders and what the cost is. I will give you the answer in writing so you can have a look at it.
Public Education Night
MR HUMPHRIES: My question is to the Minister for Industry, Employment and Education. I refer to a public relations exercise being planned by the Minister which has rather optimistically been called a celebration of public education night. I ask: How much is this exercise costing the ACT taxpayer and how many people have been invited? Why is the Minister engaging in an expensive and puerile celebration at a time when he is also seeking to slash funding of public education by several million dollars?
MR WHALAN: It is interesting to comment that I understand that at a stop-work meeting held by the teachers federation
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