Page 4471 - Week 15 - Thursday, 22 November 1990
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I would like to ask the Minister: are we to see fewer buses on weekends and public holidays or are we to see fewer buses bussing children to schools, or does the Minister not agree with the General Manager of ACTION, Mr Wadsworth? Who is correct - the Minister or the General Manager of ACTION, Mr Wadsworth?
MR DUBY (Minister for Finance and Urban Services) (11.40): Mr Speaker, I feel inclined to take this question on notice. I should point out that there is no confusion or disagreement between the General Manager of ACTION and the Government in terms of the provision of school bus services. We are continuing a program of reviewing the expenditure on, and provision of, school bus services, which, I might point out, was initiated by the previous Government in last year's budget. That program has been continued this year. In our view, the amount of money that has been provided for school bus services is adequate. A review of the arrangements which enable children to be provided with school bus services will ensure that all children who require school bus services will be provided with them.
In addition, as part of the school closures program or the school review program - - -
Mr Humphries: Reshaping.
MR DUBY: As part of the schools reshaping program, we have allocated an additional $125,000 in this year's budget to cater for any children who may need to be bussed as a result of the schools reshaping program, in addition to the children who would require bussing if those schools had not either closed, amalgamated or been involved with joint administrative arrangements.
Naturally, like many other people, I would like to see the availability of more funds for a whole range of government services. The point that has to be remembered is that only a limited amount of funds is available for a whole range of services, and we have to apply priorities to them.
I am sure that the General Manager of ACTION, like the Director of the Transport and Engineering Division or the Director of ACT Public Works, would like to have an increased budget allocation for his area of expertise. As I said, there is no difference of opinion between ACTION management and the Government.
MRS GRASSBY (11.43): Also on the subject of public transport, when we were in government, under Ms Follett as Chief Minister, we at least had a plan on public transport, asking opinions and looking into the fact that Canberra is in a desperate state at the moment with cars being used more than public transport and parking becoming dearer and less available.
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