Page 2344 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 1 November 1989
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I would like to know, Mr Speaker, how much time is being spent by some of our senior education bureaucrats on stratagems to keep this Minister and this Government out of further real trouble and how much time is spent on genuinely pursuing education issues. The Minister has a very harmonious relationship with his upper management and of course, as we all know, he was a fellow teacher with Dr Willmot in Newcastle in some past era. So the Minister is familiar with education issues and it is truly regrettable that he has lost touch with the community. It is evident from the demonstrations in the square that he has lost touch with the community on this issue and we notice his diffidence in debate here today.
Certainly, in reply, the Minister will tackle the Rally for some subject or other but once again he will twist and turn from the real topic which he should have in his mind, that is the faces of those parents looking at him last week out in the square and seeking to be delivered from the problem they have about educating and providing preschooling for their children and the time they have to spend coming and asking the Government for social justice.
MR BERRY (Minister for Community Services and Health) (5.00): After what Mr Collaery said, I think that there are some very important issues that have to be raised on the matter of consultation in relation to the preschool question. In the course of the debate Mr Collaery suggested that the Labor Party and the Labor Government had abandoned their commitment to consultation.
Of course, Mr Collaery was one of the first to walk away from consultation in the budget consultation process, which we all recall very clearly, after he found out that he would have to deliver the goods in that process. I think it just sounded as though it was a bit too hard for him, but, had he wanted to, he would have had some input in that consultation process in relation to the preschool issue.
One of the other interesting facets of consultation is the Residents Rally's performance on this issue. I think we all recall the way in which the Assembly members of the Residents Rally supported the gag against their colleague Mr Michael Moore when the Rally blew itself apart in recent events. For Mr Collaery to criticise the Labor Party's performance on consultation is an outrage. I just draw attention to the Rally's performance in relation to fluoride - how it was very consultative in relation to that matter and how that relates to preschools - - -
Mr Jensen: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I am sorry, but Mr Berry was seeking to have Mr Collaery stick to the point on education in preschools, but Mr Berry is now wending away from that topic. I would appreciate it if you would get him back on line.
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