Page 2826 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 14 August 1990
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MR WOOD: Let me remind you that you have slightly changed your tune, because week after week as we have asked questions here you have said, "When we know what schools we are closing we can tell you". Week after week you said that. Now you know what schools you want to close but you have put it off till the budget. I predict that when that budget comes down very little information will be contained in it because you do not want to bring up the evidence. You do not want to bring that out at all. This Minister argues on two grounds: when we know what schools, or when the budget comes, we will tell you; and the other ground: we have got to save some money. I have not heard more arguments than that, because you do not have them. I doubt whether we will ever get them from you.
School Closures
MR HUMPHRIES (Minister for Health, Education and the Arts) (9.52): Mr Wood is wonderfully full of volume but pitifully short of facts. While members opposite continue to bleat and carp about the enormous damage supposedly being done to the school community of Canberra through this decision, they conveniently forget a number of things. They forget the fact that Mr Wood and all his colleagues sitting over there on the Labor Party benches were themselves conspirators with a government in 1988 that closed five schools. They are embarrassed by that fact. Ms Follett is rising in her place embarrassed.
Ms Follett: I rise on a point of order. I require that Mr Humphries withdraw the word "conspirators".
MR HUMPHRIES: I stand by that remark, Mr Acting Speaker. Ms Follett and her colleagues, I am sure, at the last Federal election were all handing out how to vote cards for the same Labor Government that closed five schools in 1988 - and another one in 1987. And they wanted to close preschools themselves last year.
MR ACTING SPEAKER: Mr Humphries, I will just rule on Ms Follett's point of order. Ms Follett, if he made that remark about any member of your party personally I would uphold your point of order.
Ms Follett: He did. He made it about me - and all members here - and I require it withdrawn.
MR HUMPHRIES: I will make it quite clear, Mr Acting Speaker: I am referring to members of the Australian Labor Party, which includes members opposite. Members opposite were among many other members of the Australian Labor Party who handed out how to vote cards on behalf of - - -
Ms Follett: I rise on a point of order, Mr Acting Speaker. I did ask that it be withdrawn and I think that Mr Humphries ought to respond to that.
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