Page 183 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 13 February 1991
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confrontation - not perhaps the same level of confrontation that we had seen earlier, but nevertheless, unnecessary, undesirable and debilitating confrontation. In this case it was a matter reflecting on the good, continued operation of the education of children at Maribyrnong Primary School. There was no major problem behind this, but the Minister was able to turn it into a - hopefully short-term - confrontation and problem.
The regional office of education in Belconnen had been negotiating with the board of Maribyrnong Primary School to relocate itself in that school. I understand, from information that the board gave to me, that this went back to some time towards the end of last year. There was clear evidence of planning on the part of the regional office in that they knew that they needed to talk to the school, because that is what our system is very heavily based on. They needed to talk to the school and get their agreement to the way it should proceed and what should happen in the end.
The school was not enthusiastic about it. It did not particularly welcome the proposal, but would agree to it. The school was talking to the regional office about the way it should be done. When Mr Humphries came back from overseas, suddenly, at a moment's notice, the kindergarten class was told to get out and the regional office was moving in. I do not know why on earth it had to be done so hurriedly at the last minute. There was no need for haste. Cook Primary School, where the regional office is presently located, is still there. The office is still capable of operating out of there.
Mr Kaine: Yes, with your mates stopping them getting in and out.
MR WOOD: They were still capable of operating. You want to check that. They were still capable of operating and suddenly there was this move, disrupting children. That is not the worst that has happened in this Territory in the last year, but it shows Mr Humphries' confrontationist style.
The same style was evident at Curtin. I regret that there was some conflict between parents at that school as a result of closure movements. Some of the parents at North Curtin were negotiating the eminently sensible viewpoint that if the amalgamation of Curtin and Lyons was to proceed it would be sensible that the two schools be joined at the same time and in a building that was fully operational and of a suitably high standard for those children. They were trying to negotiate the view that the two schools should be joined, if that was going to happen, at the end of first term. They had planned meetings, they had thought that they were going to be talking to relevant people; but, again, in this confrontationist style that the Minister has imposed, discussions were cancelled abruptly, negotiations were off and the participative system which is so important in Canberra once again broke down.
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