Page 4262 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 20 November 1990
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remembered for that; there is no doubt about that. But when will the posturing end? When will this party stop posturing about how it supports education in the Territory?
Mr Kaine: When you sit down; that is about when.
MR BERRY: I am happy to see that the Chief Minister supports the posturing of the Residents Rally party. They are all cast in the same mould. They are a very touchy lot. Did the Chief Minister threaten to resign again to keep them in line? Will we ever know?
Mr Kaine: Several times. I do it half a dozen times a day.
MR BERRY: They are pretty thick; it would take a while for it to sink in, Chief Minister. The Government,s case was discredited from day one. The savings were overstated, the costs were underestimated, and, of course, the importance of the neighbourhood school system has been ignored. It has been an ill considered plan from day one. There has been no consideration of the social impact by a mob which has no social conscience. Once again, the priorities of the Government are apparent. Let us make it clear; it is the destruction of the ACT education system against the wishes of the people they were elected to represent. That will go down with the Residents Rally.
Let us take a look at a couple of side issues that are affected by the Government,s decision on education; let us take a look at the South Curtin Therapy Centre. Its staff have been kicked from pillar to post from day one, and I must say that it is pretty obvious that in this third great decision on education in the ACT the Government has not had a look at the South Curtin Therapy Centre yet. It was not even considered before the announcement of the decision. We are about to see the second domino effect on those organisations which operate from school premises. First the Lyons school, and then the South Curtin Therapy Centre, and now the Weston Creek Health Centre and the Weston Creek Community Service.
Why should the people of Weston Creek pay for this Government,s ineptitude? But they are paying. They are paying dearly. We have preschools, primary schools, high schools and health centres closing, all because of the Government,s mismanagement of education. What on earth is going to happen to the Life Education Centre now? What will happen to the Weston Creek Community Service? The service is located in two buildings at Cooleman Court in Weston Creek; the community centre, and, of course, the health centre. The Government told the service that they would be split between Cooleman Court and Rivett Primary School, but now Rivett will stay open. What happens now? What happens to these all-important services? Who knows. Do we get a fourth final decision? Perhaps. What about the Life Education Centre? It, too, was told that it was going to Rivett. What are you going to do with it? Did
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