Page 2692 - Week 09 - Thursday, 9 August 1990
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Mr Berry: No. We are talking about Hackett.
MR HUMPHRIES: She is talking about suburbs generally, Mr Berry, if you had listened carefully.
Mr Berry: No, no. She is talking about Hackett. I heard her say that.
MR HUMPHRIES: You were not listening, obviously. The more specific reference, though, was to Hackett and Ms Follett suggested that there was a growing school age population in Hackett. To the extent that that occurs, it occurs in an extremely limited extent. In fact, it amounts - I am indebted to my friend the Minister for Finance and Urban Services - to the extent of about 10 students over a period of five years.
Mr Wood: No, it is more than that. You know that.
MR HUMPHRIES: The enrolments that the Government uses are based on projections that rely on the same demographics that the former Follett Government relied on when it was in Government. If you want to cast doubts and aspersions on the talents and the expertise of the public servants who advise this Government, then do so, but do not hide behind parliamentary questions and privilege. Go out to that place and attack them there, Mr Berry.
Members interjected.
MR ACTING SPEAKER: Order! You have had about a minute of interjections now. Let him finish.
MR HUMPHRIES: The fact is that the scope for regeneration in Hackett is extremely limited and it is not enough to indicate that the school should stay open. An enrolment of 148 children is a very small school. It is the second smallest school in the Territory and I do not believe this Government can be repudiated for having made the decision to close that particular school.
MS FOLLETT: I have a supplementary question, Mr Acting Speaker, and again it relates to Hackett. Is the Minister aware that the Hackett community provides enormous support to that school and, in fact, raises more funds per student than any other government school? Did he take into consideration the degree of support that that school receives from its community and the importance of that school to the community?
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Acting Speaker, the weak-kneed approach of those opposite is absolutely incredible. If that submission from the Hackett Primary School contained that information, yes, of course, the Government took it into account. If this information has come to light since then, obviously the Government did not take it into account.
Ms Maher: Why can't they take it with them, anyway?
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