Page 7 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 13 February 1990
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Mr Speaker, it is not the case that anything said by Dr Kinloch amounted to an order. I have got the transcript in front of me here as to what Dr Kinloch said on that program that day. I have read it carefully and I do not believe anything in that transcript amounts to an order to any part of the Administration and certainly not to my department, and I believe that in all the circumstances any impression that any orders were being given is quite false. If the member is in any doubt at all, I make it quite clear at this stage that that is not the case and it will not be the case in the future.
MR MOORE: I ask a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. In fact, I would just like the Minister to answer the question. That was just background about the ordering of Dr Kinloch. The question was: Have the 15 teachers been employed at an estimated cost of $450,000, or how are you going to support the decision of your Executive Deputy? Where is the money coming from and where are the teachers coming from?
MR HUMPHRIES: I make it clear once again to the member, there was no decision by the Executive Deputy in respect of those teachers at all. Any impression that you, Mr Moore, may have gained to that effect is quite false and I put to rest here and now the idea that that was a decision made by and on behalf of the Government. As far as the 15 teachers being employed is concerned, I make it quite clear that it was the decision of the previous Follett Labor Government that those teachers should not be employed at this time. That was based on a decision to change the date on which the requirements of secondary colleges were calculated from. The relevant date was to be the middle of the year, rather than the beginning of the year, meaning that some schools were staffed with a higher than anticipated requirement and were moved down towards the mean for the year. As far as the previous Government's decision on those 15 teachers is concerned, it has not been changed by this Government, as Mr Kaine has made clear on previous occasions. In the meantime, it is imperative for us to work within the framework of the existing Labor budget.
Mr Moore: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I seek leave to incorporate in Hansard the document which indicates that the Minister is not dealing directly with things as they actually are. If there is any imputation on Mr Humphries, then I would happily withdraw such imputation. Since he is not supporting his Executive Deputy, I hope that he is prepared to chastise him.
Leave granted.
Document incorporated at appendix 1
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