Page 1792 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 1 May 1991
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MR HUMPHRIES: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Mr Wood says that the school will definitely reopen. Apparently talking to particular community leaders constitutes consultation with the full community. I wonder whether Mr Wood could tell people how exactly he has consulted with those community leaders. What asking of all the people in the suburb of Lyons has occurred?
I would like to ask also what constitutes, under this scenario, a viable school. There were about 100 students in the Lyons school before it closed at the end of last term. If, say, only half of those students are prepared to return to the reopened Lyons school some time in the middle of 1992, which is what we will be talking about, presumably, would those opposite consider a school of 50 students to be a viable school? Quite frankly, Mr Speaker, I think it would be irresponsible of the Government to open a school of 50 students, and it would be irresponsible of a parent to send a child to a school of 50 students. You simply could not have an urban school of 50 students with anything like the same range of choices and opportunities available to students in that school as other schools in the same area. It would be irresponsible, in my view.
So, Mr Speaker, I frankly take with a grain of salt this claim that the decision has been made definitely to reopen particular schools. The claim has been made elsewhere that there would be consultation with the community about which schools should be reopened, so clearly there is some inconsistency on that score by the Opposition.
MR CONNOLLY (10.40): Mr Speaker, I had hoped that, as today is May Day - I noted that Mr Humphries is wearing a red tie in celebration - he may have adapted his politics to match his sartorial style.
Mr Collaery: At least he does not wear silk underwear.
Mrs Grassby: How do you know?
Mr Collaery: We know the Labor Party these days.
Mrs Grassby: How do you know? He is talking about his underwear. He knows. You are one of those, are you?
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Collaery and Mrs Grassby! Order, please!
MR CONNOLLY: I am not sure whether the Attorney-General is interested in our underwear, or his colleagues' underwear; but it matters little. However, Mr Humphries' red tie to match May Day is not, as we could have probably predicted, matched by his politics. His politics have not changed. The policy of the Government is clearly to rip through this school closure program as quickly as possible. I had hoped to hear a defence of this indecent haste, but no defence was raised.
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