Page 1283 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 16 April 1991
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Mr Speaker, in conclusion I would like to emphasise how important I believe it is to keep the community informed on how the Government is implementing the blueprint. I will continue to inform the members of what this Government is doing to make the lives of the ageing easier. I present the following papers:
Progress Report on Implementing the Blueprint for the Ageing -
Ministerial statement, 16 April 1991.
Report.
I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the papers.
Debate (on motion by Mrs Grassby) adjourned.
SELL-OFF OF SCHOOL SITES
Discussion of Matter of Public Importance
MR SPEAKER: I have received a letter from Mr Wood proposing that a matter of public importance be submitted to the Assembly for discussion, namely:
The Government's fast tracking of the sell-off of school sites to prevent at the next election the democratic expression of the community's view about re-opening schools.
MR WOOD (4.03): Mr Speaker, this is the further chapter in the long and unfortunate saga of the Government's plan to demolish the government school system in the ACT. The saga still has some way to go before the system is saved; but it is clear already that the Government has lost its debate, and the Government knows this. This is the reason for the unseemly haste to move the planning proposals that we have seen today - so that the schools may be closed. The Government is rushing this now so that it will not be an issue at the election early next year, or before. It is fast tracking this issue, Chief Minister.
Mr Kaine: It is not.
MR WOOD: It is fast tracking, to get it off the agenda.
Mr Humphries: Prove it.
MR WOOD: I certainly will. The Government does not want to compete with the ALP on this issue. It knows that it cannot. The Government does not want the community to decide the issue of school closures because it knows what would happen if the community were given that opportunity. It would suffer a heavy loss in the polls. Well, of course, that will happen in any circumstance.
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