Page 936 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 27 March 1990
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MR JENSEN: That is right.
Ms Follett: It has been made six times.
Mr Berry: Is this irrelevant?
MR JENSEN: Am I allowed to continue, Mr Speaker?
MR SPEAKER: Please proceed.
MR JENSEN: Am I not allowed to have my say? It is incredible, is it not? Many of these willing horses operate on P and C associations and the boards; it is most unfortunate. I have also noted that there is a degree of apathy - let us be happy with the system, but let us not get involved - which is unfortunate.
Mr Wood: How do you get them involved? It is very hard.
MR JENSEN: That is a very good question. I note Mr Wood's comments about some of the principal-controlled boards with which he was involved. I have been involved with four schools in the ACT, and I was fortunate not to run into the sort of principal-controlled board to which Mr Wood was referring. Maybe I was lucky, but I hope that the principal-controlled boards, as such, are few and far between. They certainly have not been part of my experience.
As I progressed with my children through their education, I noticed that we had reduced interest from parents. During the preschool stage, just about every parent was involved with the P and C operation. This was particularly the case in Queensland in the new State preschools that were starting up in those days when I was involved. But as we move through the lives of our children parent participation drops off quite markedly. In some respect, there is probably a degree of truth in what Mr Wood said in relation to our children's role in this. Some of us have heard, "Oh, Mum" or "Oh, Dad, what are you doing at the school? It's embarrassing". These sorts of issues often come forward, and I think that is something that we also have to look at.
Ms Follett: I can understand that.
MR JENSEN: Clearly, Ms Follett, you have never had children at school. It is unfortunate - something that you may appreciate in the future. I get back to the concern about willing horses. As we say, if you want something done, give it to a busy person. I am sure many of us are familiar with the story of somebody else, nobody, anybody and everybody, which ends with everybody believing that somebody else will do something that anybody could do. I think it is unfortunate and, in some respects, it is an indictment on our society. I take this opportunity to thank those parents who participate in schools for their involvement.
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