Page 3923 - Week 13 - Thursday, 17 October 1991
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MR CONNOLLY: I thank Mrs Nolan for the question. It is a matter which I believe we went through in some depth at the Estimates Committee hearings, although not on that specific question. There are criteria that are being developed by ACTION in consultation with the school communities, at the public and private school levels. As patterns of demand change and demographics change, so the feasibility or otherwise of providing a service will change.
I can provide Mrs Nolan with a detailed response on which services are looking as though they will be affected, after question time; I cannot give her the details of the individual route numbers now. But there are criteria for when services are sustainable which have been developed in consultation with school communities and the bus service providers.
MRS NOLAN: Mr Speaker, I ask a supplementary question. Mr Connolly, can the house then have an assurance that we will not have a similar situation to what has happened in the past - and last year was a perfect example - where we had those announcements made a week prior to the schools commencing? I am talking about the 1992 school year. I believe that it is more appropriate that parents be made aware some time before school is actually about to recommence.
MR CONNOLLY: Announcing it the week before, which occurred perhaps this year, is the typical process of lack of consultation that one would have expected from that Alliance Government. I certainly assure Mrs Nolan that I will instruct my officers to make sure that the people are well aware of the situation before the school year commences. As I say, I stress that the criteria for those decisions are made available for the school communities. But I will certainly ensure that that is made available.
Non-Government School Funding
MR JENSEN: Mr Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister for Education, Mr Wood. Has the Minister or his Department conducted an assessment of the likely increase in the number of pupils at public schools in the ACT because of the discriminatory cuts in the non-government schools budget, and the consequent cost to the ACT education budget? If they have not done so, why not?
MR WOOD: I will answer the second part of the question first and that will answer the whole question. I doubt whether there will be any movement of enrolments. There is no need to make such an inquiry. I would say further that the government school system will enrol every student who comes to it. Again, I do not anticipate any change.
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