Page 2859 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 15 August 1990
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not to have legal standing, and it simply will not allow us to proceed with the Bill.
Mr Collaery: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: this should not go in the record. It is not claimed by the Government; it is ruled by you as Speaker and, in my duty as leader of the house, I have accepted your ruling.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Wood, I would put to you again the fact that this was my decision, taken on legal advice. I reluctantly brought down the ruling because I recognise the limitations that it puts on debate. However, there is another course of action, and it will be taken. Please understand that it was of my volition that this was taken.
Mr Collaery: Read his lips.
MR WOOD: We can read your lips over there, but unfortunately they are not consistent. They tend to change from time to time, especially in the case of school closures. I take your point, Mr Speaker, and I accept then that this was never discussed at the joint party meeting or anything of that nature. It has never been part of your discussions generally; is that what you are also telling me? I doubt that. Mr Collaery did not stand up last week somewhere and say that we should not discuss this. I did not hear you a week ago in private members' business.
Mr Collaery: You wanted to bring it on.
MR WOOD: No, it was the Chief Minister who wanted to bring it on.
Mr Kaine: Yes, I did, and I would still like to. If you would sit down for five minutes, we could make arrangements for you to do so.
MR WOOD: I will do that. Mr Speaker, the community looked to this parliament for protection for its schools. It was, as it were, the last chance that the community saw to save its schools from the arbitrary and senseless actions of the Minister for Education and the Government which supports him. It is a great disappointment to it to learn that this matter is not to be given the legislative protection that it desperately needed. In response to the suggestions from the members across the road, I would like to propose a second-phase motion. I seek leave of the Assembly, Mr Speaker, to propose a motion that this Assembly opposes the closure of any school.
Leave granted.
MR WOOD: It is much less desirable than we would like. We would much prefer to be discussing a more substantive issue that would afford the protection of the legislation of this Assembly. Mr Speaker, it is clear that the community opposes the closure of any school.
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