Page 4391 - Week 15 - Wednesday, 21 November 1990
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MR WOOD: I hope you understand the impact that your letter is going to have in this Assembly, because it was a very powerful indictment of some things that have happened. I think the case remains quite clear that none of these schools should close. I want to correct one point that Mr Humphries made. He said that I had not acknowledged the savings from school closures. On 3 May, Mr Humphries, in speaking on this matter, I said:
The Minister made the statement recently that the closure of five schools a little while ago saved about $1m - $200,000 a school. They were primary schools. I will not argue about that figure. I think it sounds about right. It confirms what I was saying earlier that you do not really save a great deal of money by closing schools.
That was a point I made quite consistently throughout. I do not think you listen to me any more than you listen to your bureaucrats or your own colleagues.
Mr Speaker, these schools need to survive. They are important institutions. They do great work. The children in them learn and they come on to be of benefit to the community and to their parents. They improve themselves, of course, if we come to the fundamental reason for education. I urge you all to vote to keep them open.
Motion (by Mr Collaery) agreed to:
That so much of standing and temporary orders be suspended as would prevent the questions on notices No. 1, Nos. 3 to 5 and No. 7 being put and resolved seriatim.
Mr Jensen: Mr Speaker, before we go to the vote, I would seek leave under standing order 46 to make a brief personal explanation.
MR SPEAKER: Do you claim to have been misrepresented?
Mr Jensen: Yes, I do. I claim to have been misrepresented.
Mr Collaery: After the vote.
Mr Jensen: All right. It does not matter.
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