Page 2024 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 5 June 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
In conclusion, I think that in an ideal world we would all like to provide a preschool on every corner, but we cannot do that. When the population contracts, a responsible and prudent Government must take steps to respond and to ensure that the community gets the best use of the limited resources which are available to it.
What the Government has been saying no more nor less mirrors those sentiments, but cynically and in a hypocritical fashion the Labor Government has sought to get some mileage in an attempt to destroy one of the community based parties here, the Residents Rally.
Labor's own education policy was predicated in part on school closures. Labor even had a special section in its election policy for school closures. All that this Opposition could take us to task for was the manner in which we have gone about things, not the substance of the debate. That Opposition members have been able to twist the community is in no small measure due to their totally socially irresponsible approach to being in opposition. That was reflected by the vague and vacuous sentiments that Mr Berry made in speaking to this matter of public importance. It would be important if a government attacked the fabric of society, but the Alliance Government is sustaining that fabric, doing its very best to look after the society that we live in.
The people of the ACT are intelligent and aware. Our efforts will be recognised in 1992, not in terms of the short-term electoral point scoring that has gone on in recent weeks. Some of the people who scoff and laugh will have those laughs and scoffs wiped off their faces when we go to the election in 1992 as a responsible, socially aware, sensitive and humane government.
MR WOOD (4.18): Mr Speaker, this matter of public importance focuses on the Government's attack on the fabric of ACT society. I do not think any aspect of Canberra and the way it is constructed is more important to people in this town than their education system. That has been long demonstrated.
I suppose, if there were any other aspect that would be regarded as of equal importance, it would be that of our environment and the extensive green spaces that take up so much of this city. To me, as I have lived here over quite a number of years, these are the two most important aspects of Canberra. Canberra has a particular respect for education. It gives education absolutely its highest priority, and on that matter the ALP agrees with the Canberra community.
I have long been interested in this matter. While I was not here when campaigns started, I have read extensively on it. I will give you some background, because it may be
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .