Page 3166 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 12 September 1990
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The document also says that the Government has a "$900,000 a year overestimate as a result of failure to account for loss of potential rental income".
I would like to point out that the loss of rental income occurs only if one assumes that, by closing the schools the Government has announced will be closing, there is as a result no remaining surplus space that could be let in the school system. I am sure everybody in this chamber is well aware that there is a great deal of surplus space in our system, even after the Government proceeds with the closure of these schools. The capacity to let out that space and therefore to make up that rental income is by no means lost by this decision. The association casts considerable - - -
Mr Berry: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: it seems to me that every time somebody issues a controversial press release we are going to have a statement that goes on for ages. I know leave has been granted, but I would like to prevail upon the Minister to bring it up as a ministerial statement and then we could all debate the issue.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Berry, for your observation.
MR HUMPHRIES: If I can answer Mr Berry's question, Mr Speaker: I may well do that in the course of time, but there are a number of statements in this document today which I want to repudiate. I have been misrepresented, and I am entitled under the standing orders to correct that misrepresentation. I would be very happy to put this document on the table and have it debated at a later stage, as I am sure the Assembly will be doing in any case.
Mr Speaker, it is also claimed - and again the association casts doubt on the Government's accuracy and its figures - that the Government will not be able to get away with spending only $2,000 to transfer the hearing impaired unit from the Weetangera school to the Hawker school. I think that particular costing was described as "beyond belief". The assumption that that is based on is that the cost of putting the unit into the Hawker school will be only a fraction of what it cost to put it in the Weetangera school, because the Weetangera schoolroom had to be soundproofed. This is not necessary in the case of the Hawker schoolroom, because there is a suitable room which is away from other classrooms. It does not require special sound insulation to allow those students to occupy it.
Mr Speaker, the document contains a number of other statements which I will not go into at this stage, but I will - - -
Mr Moore: That is because you do not have answers.
MR HUMPHRIES: I have answers to all of them, but I think that - - -
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