Page 2726 - Week 09 - Thursday, 9 August 1990
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under one government, and then they moved properly and carefully to work under another government. That is what public servants should do, and they did that well. Secondly, there is impartiality. They give thoughtful advice under very difficult and changing circumstances. I would be very hard put to know whether they have individual political preferences of one kind or another or what those preferences are. One might know in some individual cases because of certain allegiances, but I would find it very difficult to see any attempt to be partial towards one political view or another. Thirdly, the Minister and I are essentially well briefed on an amazing range of subjects. If you could see them flooding in day by day, week by week, you would see what that department has to do. Fourthly, they have been personally helpful, reflective to us, and they carry out duties as asked, often under great pressure.
Included in the pressure has been this very great concern about the reshaping of schools. I pay tribute to that committee of five, which had a difficult task to do. They were all professional teachers, I would like to stress - some of them at primary school level, some at secondary and some who are in the administration but who were former teachers. It was a huge task digesting that material. We recognise that there have been glitches here and there. How could there not be, with such a huge task? Let us have some grace in saying thank you for the 99 per cent right rather than looking at the one per cent wrong.
I would like to give a typical example of the kind of commitment of the senior staff. Here I will give a case study, as Mr Wood rightly gave case studies yesterday. On a recent busy day one of the senior officers came with me as I visited, in turn, on the one day, Gilmore Primary, Isabella Plains Primary, Calwell Preschool, Calwell Primary School and, finally, Lake Tuggeranong College. I observed someone in that task who knew the schools personally and well, who knew the head teachers and often some of the other teachers in the school and who knew the particular dilemmas of the schools - the administrative, economic and social problems. It was a most rewarding time. That is only one example of how the senior echelon has helped both the Minister and me to come to terms with, understand and work with one of the biggest enterprises in the ACT, the division of education. It is a tremendous role that they play. Briefings have been steadily and responsibly provided.
I would also, in saying this, almost renege on an earlier comment. At one time I wondered about some levels of the senior echelons. I now see that it is very necessary to have those regional officers at this difficult time of reshaping of schools. I have seen them try to do their best to go to individual schools, individual teachers and do their jobs. Although Mr Moore may wish to attack certain individuals or certain members of the department, I am sure that if he could see the department in action day by day, week by week, he would recognise, as the Minister
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