Page 2933 - Week 10 - Thursday, 16 August 1990
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that in future, with demographic changes, schools may close. He said that from time to time it might be necessary to close schools.
Yesterday, Mr Wood moved a motion that provided specifically that there be no school closures - full stop. The logical, rational meaning of that was that there be, ad infinitum, no school closures. Clearly, Mr Wood's motion yesterday is totally inconsistent with his own party's platform. Further, we heard Ros Kelly on the radio this morning challenged about her commitment to schools. When challenged by Pru Goward, she said, "I was only referring to colleges", because she knows that colleges are safe. So she has run to high ground, to safe ground, and she is taking part in this totally deceptive, misleading program that the Labor Party is putting out over school closures.
The fact of the matter is the Labor Party, and particularly its leader, is still in a huff over being thrown out. The Labor Party is going to make it as ungovernable as they can for any government in this Territory. They are not mature; they are not behaving in the mature manner that could be expected of any other Opposition. I invite members of the media, particularly, to read this scurrilous document called Insider. On the front page it has, "History makers meet" - history-making women, Rosemary Follett and Carmen Lawrence, met in Canberra recently. The fact is that under Rosemary Follett's signature is this statement:
... answers to questions in the Legislative Assembly have revealed that the Liberal ACT Government has spent an astonishing $24m on consultancies -
for the Priorities Review Board - $24m. It is printed there. This is a most extraordinary little flier. It speaks with the paranoia of a party thrown out of office. The problem with the ACT Labor Party is that it is out of step with Labor Party branches throughout Australia. I sit at ministerial meetings around the country with your Labor Party Ministers and they are closing schools and they are amalgamating hospitals. The Victorian Labor Party has a problem with all its base hospitals and is consolidating hospitals. And, of course, the Victorian Labor Party is planning to amalgamate 600 schools in that State. The Tasmanian Labor Party tried to close 27 schools last year and has now secured a loan of $50m from the Commonwealth to use partly for redundancy payments for school teachers.
Clearly, this Opposition has, in the words of the amendment, been most inconsistent on school closures. It is not a party that has behaved consistently. In a vulture-like manner, it has fallen upon Mr Humphries. He has gone to just about every public meeting that has been called. He is game to face the people.
Mr Wood: Yes, agreed.
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