Page 3099 - Week 14 - Thursday, 7 December 1989
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This Government will address the community's real concerns. Education will be maintained at the present level of excellence. The Government will build on the good foundations of our education system to create an environment where high standards and excellence are the primary objectives.
This Government will create a schools board of management to administer ACT schools. This will reverse the previous Government's policy of centralising control and restricting input from those involved in education. It will also restore the ideals of participation and autonomy developed in the ACT in the late 1970s - ideals that the minority Labor Government has sought to erode in the past six months.
The board will operate on a similar basis to the present hospitals board of management and will have responsibility for day-to-day administration of ACT schools. The board will, however, work within the policy guidelines set down by the Minister for Education. Non-government schools will also be invited and encouraged to join the board, although their continued independence will be guaranteed by the alliance Government.
By including non-government schools representatives on the board, the alliance Government will attempt to defuse the friction between the government and non-government sectors, a feature of our education system for a number of years, and something which the previous Government did nothing about. Community consultation on the proposal will be a priority for the incoming alliance Education Minister. A green paper will be developed and released for community comment early next year.
In the health area we will confirm the role of the hospitals board of directors closely modelled on the Kearney report recommendation. We will ensure that the board reports directly to the Minister and not to any intermediary body. We will proceed with hospital redevelopment plans and accelerate financial planning arrangements.
We will enter into immediate negotiations with all relevant health unions to foster a cooperative environment for alliance health initiatives. We will enter into immediate negotiations with the Commonwealth to determine the level of funding that the Commonwealth is prepared to provide to assist with hospital redevelopment. We will review the current proposals for hospital redevelopment in the light of the Commonwealth's response on capital funding. We will restructure the Department of Community Services and Health to improve the delivery of services, increase efficiency and streamline administration. We will investigate the feasibility of the sale of the Health Authority building in Moore Street.
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