Page 3127 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 12 September 1990
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It is a fact that as of this very moment I have not seen any alternative proposal from Mr Humphries. I have not seen the terms of reference for his inquiry. I am completely unaware of the details of his proposal. I also object totally to this government by edict. The fact is that we are in private members' business and it is perfectly within the rights of any private member to move a motion such as that which is on the notice paper and to have that debated in good faith by both sides of this chamber.
We have heard from the other side of the house only some form of alternative proposition. First of all, if there is some such alternative proposition, why, then, does it mean that the proposition that is already on the books is in some way redundant? I do not believe it does. I think it allows you to vote for the one that is on the books.
We have also heard from Mr Humphries that he intends to appoint an eminent Australian. We do not know who that will be, or whether it will be one person or several persons; but surely it is open to Mr Humphries to appoint Mr Wood, Dr Kinloch, Ms Maher, Mrs Nolan and Mr Stevenson to conduct his inquiry. Why not? That is the proposal that is before this Assembly. Why not?
The reason is very, very clear, and I think it will be as clear to the community groups involved in this debate as it is to me. The first reason is that Mr Humphries and the Government have prejudged the entire issue. They have decided on a course of school closures, without consultation, without the agreement of the community, and they are determined to pursue that course, whatever anybody else says.
Mr Humphries, himself, has made it clear that his independent inquiry will in fact be nothing more than an audit of decisions already taken. It will, in Mr Humphries' own words, be only a reiteration of decisions which this Government has already taken without the approval of the community, without a mandate from the community. It will be an audit - just the figures again - with no judgment made as to educational opportunities for children, disabilities suffered by communities; and so on. It is just an audit.
The second issue which I would like to raise is this Government's determination to cut out the Assembly from the consideration of important issues. It is as unfamiliar, as it has demonstrated this morning, with democratic processes as it is with parliamentary processes. Its members have said to this Assembly, "We do not want to trust an Assembly committee, even though all parties are represented on it. We do not want to let Mr Wood loose on education. He knows something about it. He might embarrass us". Too right he would! They have already said what their outcome is going to be by the very nature of the inquiry that they are alluding to.
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