Page 2352 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 1 November 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Funds were provided in much the same way as they were provided for State government preschools as long as the preschools met certain criteria laid down by the government and the Creche and Kindergarten Association. So I feel that I do have some qualifications to speak on this issue.
Mr Moore has raised the issue of the importance of preschool education. The Rally has always maintained that preschool education is not really discretionary; it is important. If there are parents who do not wish to send their children to preschool, that is fine. That is their decision. But I would suggest that it is appropriate for a government, seeking to improve the facilities for and the abilities of our young children in the future, to provide every opportunity for them to have access to preschool education, which is a very important part of the education process. It is not a discretionary requirement; it is part of the education process.
Mr Speaker, the Rally will not support the amendment proposed by Mr Moore, basically because we believe that the motion put forward by Mr Humphries, particularly in paragraph (4), quite clearly meets the requirements. If we accepted Mr Moore's amendment we would be duplicating that particular matter in the motion. I refer to the words "immediate publication of its criteria for preschool closures and by entering into full and real consultation with affected preschool communities". I think it is important to note that Mr Humphries has included "affected preschool communities". That includes the actual parents and citizens associations that are related to that particular school.
Any of us who have worked in preschool associations as members of the parents and citizens body know how important that group is and how it relates to the development of that preschool and the development of our children's education. It is not just the Canberra Pre-school Society or the local area advisory group that should be consulted on this matter, but also the parents themselves. As Mrs Nolan has said and as Mr Whalan has also indicated, if this proposal that the Minister has put forward is put into practice, many parents will have to travel long distances to preschools.
In closing, I would like to say that the Rally supports the motion. Mr Moore made the comment about no school being closed. The Rally makes no distinction between "preschool" and "school". They are schools and they provide schooling and education for our children. That is the major point. "School" is the same thing as "preschool" as far as I am concerned, and it is the same thing as "a college". So the Rally will be supporting wholeheartedly the motion moved by Mr Humphries with Mr Collaery's amendment, which has already been added to that motion.
MR DUBY (5.31): This has been a long, varied and interesting debate this afternoon. I think my party will
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .