Page 2727 - Week 09 - Thursday, 9 August 1990
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also does, the tremendous work that they do. If I were putting up an MPI on education - I am sorry not to have seen this happen this week - I suggest that it be about the teacher at the workface. I hope we have a chance to talk about that on another occasion.
MR CONNOLLY (4.10): Mr Acting Speaker, I am pleased to speak to this matter of public importance this afternoon because so far this week I have not had the opportunity to add my voice to the education debate. The Opposition regards this as probably the most serious issue to have come before this Assembly, and it probably will be the most serious issue to come before this Assembly for many years. I say "probably" only because the slashing of the health system in Canberra and the closing of Royal Canberra Hospital must also be there for consideration in terms of appalling decisions of this Government.
To turn the education system in this Territory around on its head is, in our view, the most appalling reversal of election promises to be inflicted on the inhabitants of this Territory. I have sat through this debate this afternoon expecting to hear a justification for the Government's decision, and that is not an unreasonable request. When a Government comes to office, particularly one that is made up of members of a party that had promised to retain a particular area of social infrastructure and retain the education system, not close schools, one would expect the courtesy of at least an explanation when that promise is reneged upon. All parties in Australian politics, even the National Party, apart from Sir Joh, would do that, but in this Assembly the defence for the closure of government schools is the Sir Joh defence, "Don't you worry about that".
If there were any possibility of convincing the Canberra community that schools had to close, it would be based on financial reasons. It would be because the Government was able to convince the community that the community could not afford the excellent public education system that we now enjoy. Labor rejects that view which is fairly easy to reject and refute because the Follett Government last year remained in office without closing any schools. As we heard the Chief Minister say on Tuesday and repeat yesterday, the budget for that period was brought in with a surplus. It is not a financial imperative to close schools, we most firmly say. It is purely a matter of priorities. You have to set your priorities straight. That is our view.
How could it be defeated by the Government? If it were prepared to go out into the community and demonstrate the financial necessity for school closures, it might just have a chance of convincing the community that it was right. Has it done so? Not a bit of it, Mr Acting Speaker. It has consistently refused to advise the Canberra community of the financial figures surrounding this school closure decision, and that is a most shameful approach to take to the ACT community.
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